Killing Them Softly 2012

Killing Them Softly

Critics Consensus

Killing Them Softly is a darkly comic, visceral thriller that doubles as a cautionary tale on capitalism, whose message is delivered with sledgehammer force.

73%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 229

44%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 121,502

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Movie Info

When rival crook Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) hatches a plan to rob a card game run by mob lackey Markie (Ray Liotta), he picks a low-rent thug named Frankie (Scoot McNairy) to do the job. Frankie picks a less-than-ideal partner (Ben Mendelsohn) to help him, but despite their combined incompetence, they manage to make off with the mob's money. In retaliation, Markie's bosses hire Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), a mob enforcer, to eradicate those responsible.
  • Rating:
    R (Some Drug References|Pervasive Language|Some Drug Use|Violence)
  • Genre:
    drama, crime
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Andrew Dominik
  • Producer:
    Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Steve Schwartz, Paula Mae Schwartz, Anthony Katagas
  • Writer:
    Andrew Dominik
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $$14,938,570
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Plan B Entertainment, Chockstone Pictures
  • Sound Mix:
    Dolby Digital, DTS

Cast

Brad Pitt
as Jackie
Scoot McNairy
as Frankie
Ben Mendelsohn
as Russell
James Gandolfini
as Mickey
Richard Jenkins
as Driver
Vincent Curatola
as Johnny Amato
Ray Liotta
as Markie Trattman
Trevor Long
as Steve Caprio
Max Casella
as Barry Caprio
Sam Shepard
as Dillon
Slaine Jenkins
as Kenny Gill
Linara Washington
as Hooker
Ross Brodar
as Poker Guy
Wade Allen
as Business Suit Agent
Christopher Berry
as Cab Driver Agent
Kenneth Brown Jr.
as Security Force Agent
Mustafa Harris
as Bartender #1
Dared Wright
as Waiter
John McConnell
as Bartender #2
Shannon Brewer
as Bar Patron #2
Bryan Billingsley
as Bar Patron #1
Roger L. Pfeiffer
as Bar Patron #3
Joe Chrest
as Business Suit Agent
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Critic Reviews for Killing Them Softly

All Critics (229) | Top Critics (57) | Fresh (168) | Rotten (61)

  • 'Killing Them Softly' collapses under the crushing weight of the director's narcissism.

    December 4, 2012 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Richard Roeper

    Richard Roeper.com
    Top Critic

  • The anvils of obviousness rain down so hard and fast in New Zealand-born/Australian-based director Andrew Dominik's meditation on low-rent crime and American decline, that it might as well be a Coyote-Road Runner cartoon

    December 3, 2012 | Rating: 3/5

    Cary Darling

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
    Top Critic

  • Like its source material, the movie is stylish, profane, intelligent, and eminently diverting. But as much as it is a delight that Dominik has disinterred Higgins's work, it is a mild disappointment that the result is not more substantial.

    November 30, 2012 | Full Review…

    Christopher Orr

    The Atlantic
    Top Critic

  • Trading in pleasures of a deliberately rarefied sort, writer-director Andrew Dominik's talky, character-rich genre piece largely short-circuits thrills to sketch a grimly funny portrait of thugs taking care of business, in every rotten sense of the word.

    November 30, 2012

    Justin Chang

    Variety
    Top Critic

  • Ultimately, as crafted as Killing Them Softly is, it's less satisfying than either The Sopranos or Goodfellas. Still, Dominik and his cast cruise some very mean streets indeed.

    November 30, 2012 | Rating: 3/4

    Lisa Kennedy

    Denver Post
    Top Critic

  • The dialogue is sharp and so are the performances. Andrew Dominik directed this neo-noir in a low-key comic style that's alternately gritty and fancy. The gritty stuff is best.

    November 30, 2012 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…

    Peter Rainer

    Christian Science Monitor
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (229)

Audience Reviews for Killing Them Softly

  • May 07, 2016
    "Killing Them Softly" confuses the audience as to who the main characters are. "Killing Them Softly" is a good drama movie of 2012. Set in 2008 the movie's plot is two men named "Frankie" portrayed by "Scoot McNairy" and "Russell" portrayed by "Ben Mendelsohn" break into a house to steal from mobsters playing poker, eventually an assassin named "Jack" portrayed by "Brad Pitt" is hired to hunts these men down and kill them. The film opens with "Frankie" walking through a tunnel with "Barack Obama's" voice being heard. The scene is shot well but keeps cutting back to the opening credits. For the most part the movie it show "Frankie" and "Russell" living their lives, doing drugs and smoking. These scenes are sometimes boring and stupid. The other scenes are splendid; they show "Jack" coming after "Frankie" and "Russell". The final scene of the film is incredible, "Brad Pitt" delivers the movie's last line exceptionally. As stated before the first 15 to 20 minutes of the film look like "Frankie" and "Russell" are the main characters of the film. "Brad Pitt" gives the audience a terrific performance and his scenes are definitely the best part of the movie. Music is used very minimal, which actually makes the movie scenes better, during dramatic scenes no music makes them better to watch. During the film there is a scene where "Jack" murders a man in a car, the scene is both violent and if looked at closely looks extremely bad C.G.I. and idiotic. If you are a person who enjoys "Brad Pitt" movies then I recommend you watch "Killing Them Softly" as it has superb acting, perfect drama and great scenes. Although the movie has some issues, these being confusing the audience, stupid scenes and poorly done "Computer Generated Images". I give 2012's "Killing Them Softly" a 7/10.
    Steve G Super Reviewer
  • Jan 26, 2014
    'The Assassination of Jessie James by the coward Robert Ford' was a visually stunning film that took its time but was ultimately satisfying due to great performances. Therefore it's not surprising the the director has assembled another great cast for this crime drama. The story is nothing new and the political allegory is a bit heavy-handed and muddled but I really enjoyed watching this cast embrace their characters and if the whole thing is a little water thin I can forgive it that. A solid and visually impressive crime thriller.
    David S Super Reviewer
  • Jan 23, 2014
    Somewhat unconventional storytelling which follows the motivations of minor characters as much as the major ones, which owes too much to the obvious 'Pulp Fiction'-y influential vibe to feel really original. Some scenes tend to drag like those involving James Gandolfini, he does a decent job but what's the larger purpose? This seamy story of double-crosses and hit men is set against a backdrop of economic stress during the Reagan era, a curious undercurrent whose impact is largely lost among the transmission static it is broadcast on to fill the background.
    Doctor S Super Reviewer
  • Jan 04, 2014
    The trailer for the film looks good, but the film itself disappoints. The filmmaker tried to copy the style of Tarantino and Coen Bros. but it doesn't work here. The problem, too much dialog and very little action. The action scenes aren't shot and edited well here. The dialog is actually very good. Another big problem is that there is no one to root for here. I didn't care for any of the characters in the film.
    Sol C Super Reviewer
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