Thompson on Hollywood

Review: 'Killing Them Softly' Has Bold Style, Skips Heartbeat

Reviews

Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly," adapted from George V. Higgins' 1974 crime novel "Cogan's Trade," takes place in an atrophied post-Katrina New Orleans in 2008. Brad Pitt plays Jackie Cogan, a hitman whose preferred method of execution is explained in the film's updated title.

By Beth Hanna
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November 30, 2012 6:44 PM
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Weekend Preview: Slim Pickings Beyond Andrew Dominik's 'Killing Them Softly' -- Unless You're Into Jean-Claude Van Damme

Reviews

This lackluster weekend for movie openings may leave you wanting to catch up on the Thanksgiving releases you missed. That said, Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly," an alternately engrossing and heavy-handed hitman drama starring Brad Pitt, is the strongest of the bunch. Beyond that, the options are disparate: a feminist take on Marilyn Monroe from HBO star Liz Garbus, "Love, Marilyn," wan horror title "The Collection," or Van Damme-Lundgren vehicle "Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning," which some critics find worth reckoning with (and some don't).

By Beth Hanna
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November 30, 2012 5:39 PM
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Review Roundup: 'Killing Them Softly' Is Formally Stunning, Well-Acted, and Heavy-Handed

Reviews

Down Under director Andrew Dominik's politically pessimistic crime drama "Killing Them Softly" hits theaters this weekend, starring Brad Pitt as a numbed hitman in an atrophied, Recession-roiled America. Critics are of two minds about the film: On the one hand, it shows masterful visual skill and boasts strong performances, while on the other, it becomes bogged down by its own message with a capital M. Reviews are mixed to positive; a roundup is below.

By Anne Thompson and Beth Hanna
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November 29, 2012 2:23 PM
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Watch This Clip: Brad Pitt on How to Kill Them Softly

Video

In this latest clip from "Killing Them Softly," Brad Pitt talks Richard Jenkins through the best way to mentally navigate a hit. There's also a funny "in this economy" joke and a suggestion to "fly coach." Andrew Dominik's film also stars James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, and Scoot McNairy. It's out November 30th.

By Maggie Lange
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November 9, 2012 8:32 PM
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Andrew Dominik's 'Killing Them Softly' Goes for Bloody Minimalism with New Posters

News

Check out the new minimalist posters for Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly." Starring Brad Pitt as a cold and compassionless gun-for-hire, the film is a bleak portrait of an atrophying, Recession-roiled America...

By Beth Hanna
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October 25, 2012 2:32 PM
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'In America You're On Your Own': New Trailer for Andrew Dominik's 'Killing Them Softly'

Video

Andrew Dominik's "Killing Them Softly" was not universally well-received in Cannes, but with a hoard of fine actors like Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Ben Mendelsohn and Scoot McNairy ("Argo," "Monsters") and Dominik's history of under-appreciation...

By Sophia Savage
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August 2, 2012 12:42 PM
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Which Stars Came Out Ahead at Cannes? Who Should Have Stayed Home? From Pitt, Kidman & Mikkelsen to Hardy, Cotillard, Pattinson & Stewart

Festivals

Cannes can have a huge impact on careers--as the world media watches. That walk up the red carpet can be dazzling for talent, but boos and reviews can be deadly, too. Ask Lee Daniels, who had to pull out the race card to explain the devastating pans for "The Paperboy," which Avi Lerner's Millennium may wind up releasing itself.