Killing Them Softly

Set in 2008, the year of the US presidential elections, Killing Them Softly goes beneath the fantasy of the 'American Dream' and delves into the underbelly of organised crime and contractural killings, a world far removed from all the political spin and talk. Two petty criminals are given the job of hitting a card game, run by Ray Liotta, which they do and this sets in motion a chain of events that leads to inevitable outbursts of bloodshed. Ray Liotta is the prime suspect of robbing his own game and the circles of organised crime decide something must be done to restore credibility and fear on the streets. Brad Pitt stars as the hitman brought in to sort out this messy situation. The acting is consistently brilliant throughout, from Pitt's casual, almost easy going brutality to James Gandolfini's edgy portrayal of a washed up hitman. Richard Jenkins, Ray Liotta and Scoot McNairy add some weighty support. The direction and screenplay are sharp and intelligent, adding a chilling sense of realism to the lives of hitmen and the underworld. The political commentary interpersed throughout the film, via the medium of tv or radio, is very clever and used to great effect. There is a cynicism to many of the characters, most notably Pitt's, that grates visibly with the illusion of hope and prosperity built up by politicans such as Bush and Obama. There is good out there in the world for sure, of the kind Bush and Obama speak about, but they are not to take credit for it. They and others like them have let down generation after generation and the viewer can almost find himself or herself nodding in agreement to Pitt's character as he tears apart a Obama speech in the very last scene of the film. Brutal and brilliant. 8/10