KILLING THEM SOFTLY

US, 2012, 97 minutes, Colour.
Brad Pitt, Scoot Mc Nairy, Ben Mendelsohn, James Gandolfini, Vincent Curatola, Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta, Sam Shepard.
Directed by Andrew Dominik.

Definitely a killing film. However, while there are some grizzly fights and shootings, and this is the world of American thugs (with Ben Mendelssohn joining them as a particularly grinning, callous scammer and thief), it very much a talking film, quite a deal of it, which moves the impact of the film to that of ‘arthouse’ thug movie. Added to that is the frequent use of speeches (by radio and television) by Barack Obama and George W. Bush, the latter explaining the financial collapses of 2008, the former offering his exhortations on US equality and all Americans being part of one community. Which is treated with some cynicism by Brad Pitt’s killer who asserts, for the ending of the film, that the real America is a land of individuals

The film is based on a book, Cogan’s Trade, by George V. Higgins who wrote The Friends of Eddie Coyle, one of the notable gangster films of the 1970s. It has been adapted and directed by Australian, Andrew Dominik. Dominik’s three feature films have been strongly focused on criminals. Eric Bana gave a memorably alarming performance as Mark Read, Chopper. Brad Pitt worked with Dominick earlier as Jesse James in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

This film opens with quite a long preparation for a robbery between two petty criminals (who definitely prove that many a petty criminal is pretty dumb). Actually, the scam, prepared by the criminal who employs them, is smart. But, of course, it neglects to be aware of stupid bragging and the long arm of criminal interests and their outreach to hired killers.

The killer is played by Brad Pitt with a blend of ruthlessness but some consideration of what his victims might suffer. He opines that he kills them softly.

Much of the film is his having conversations with the go-between from the criminal bosses (played with his usual excellence by Richard Jenkins) as well as with a self-indulgent boss (James Gandolfini excellent as well). This means a lot of reflection on the state of the nation, crime-wise, and how that is dealt with. This means a lot of character revelation (which would be too much and too slow for the action brigade).

The film is visually elegant and dark, experimental at times (especially the handling of an anxious conversation between the two thugs while the Australian is high, very high, the visuals showing us his loss of awareness and his drifting). And, of course, the language of thugs is not polite – though often tiresomely repetitious.

Dominik’s films are quite distinctive but he takes us into uncomfortable, often ugly, worlds.


1. A contemporary gangster film? Thriller? Arthouse thriller? Social concerns and comment?

2. The title? The original title of the novel, Cogan’s Trade?

3. The American city, its ugliness?

4. The range of songs used throughout: Windmills of Your Mind, Love Letters, Paper Moon...? The comment on the action? Ironic?

5. The focus on dialogue and conversations, character development, tones? The content of the conversations?

6. The American political background, the speeches of George Bush, the focus on 2008, the financial crises? The speeches of President Obama? American unity? The comments of Cogan and American individualism, America as a business? The use of television and radio broadcasts as background?

7. Johnny Amato, his plan, ingenious, the targeting of Markie? The precedents? The visualising of the original robbery? The revelation of Markie setting up a robbery on his own place? The sending of Dillon and his associate, the suspicions of the Mob, the roughing up of Markie? Believing him?

8. Frankie and Russell? The discussions with Johnny Amato? Frankie and his background in prison, his personality, way of speaking? Russell, the Australian, his crudeness and language, sex, drugs? The interrogation by Johnny, his dislike of Russell? His confiding in Frankie, the planning of the robbery? The setup?

9. The execution of the robbery, on their way and their chatter, the guns, the stockings masking them? Russell being silent? Intruding into the poker game, the men at the tables, menaced by the gun, the pressure on Markie, his trying to persuade Russell to leave? Getting the money, checking it, robbing the individual men at the tables? The getaway?

10. The consequences, Russell, his crime plans, getting the dogs – the scene with him walking the dog? His reflections about the dogs, the failure of his plan, his wanting the money for drugs, his meeting with Kenny? The meeting with Russell and their discussions, the cloud haze (and the visuals to indicate his trance state)? The flashbacks to Kenny? His attitude towards the contracts?

11. Johnny Cash, The Man Comes Around, the introduction of Jack Cogan? Dillon unavailable? Cogan talking about Dillon’s death? His meeting Driver? The discussions in the bar, the recurring inserts of the discussions? Revealing his character? The issue of callous behaviour, the bosses, payments? Cogan’s urging not to be brutal with Markie because he was to die? The killing them softly?

12. Markie, his situation, the robbery, his past robbing himself? His concealing the truth? The brothers’ arrival, the brutal bashing of Markie? And his not knowing who did the robbery?

13. Mickey, assassin, his way of life, the money issues, the murders, drugs, his brutality towards the prostitute, his self-indulgence?

14. Cogan and his character, talking with Driver, talking with Mickey, the revelation through the conversations? His tracking down Frankie and Russell?

15. Cogan and the brutality of his executions, shooting, the driving? Frankie and his driving fast, his fears? Cogan’s reassuring words to him – and then shooting him?

16. Cogan and the final talk with Driver? President Obama on the television, the comments about the United States, Cogan and his cynical attitude, individualism rather than unity, America as a business?

17. Immersing the audience in a world of thugs, amoral and immoral, brutish, their codes, decadence, stupidity, individualism?