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Killer Joe

TV-MA 2011 1h 41m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller List
80% Tomatometer 172 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
A cop (Matthew McConaughey) who moonlights as a hit man agrees to kill the hated mother of a desperate drug dealer (Emile Hirsch) in exchange for a tumble with the young man's virginal sister (Juno Temple).
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Killer Joe

Killer Joe

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Critics Consensus

Violent, darkly comic, and full of strong performances, Killer Joe proves William Friedkin hasn't lost his touch, even if the plot may be too lurid for some.

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Critics Reviews

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Tom Long Detroit News If you like your movies filled with twisted humor, sexual perversion, psychological intimidation and sudden violence, "Killer Joe" is the flick for you. Rated: B Aug 31, 2012 Full Review Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch Watching "Killer Joe" to the bitter end is like playing the Pick 6 lottery and getting three of the numbers right. You don't win anything, but you still think you're smarter than all those other idiots. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 24, 2012 Full Review Bill Goodykoontz Arizona Republic [Friedkin] has retained his touch ... all these years later. And in Matthew McConaughey, he has the perfect vehicle for madness. Rated: 4/5 Aug 23, 2012 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review In Killer Joe, director William Friedkin reaches magnificent new lows as he descends into playwright Tracy Letts' world of southern-fried depravity, stupidity, sexuality, and possibly (almost certainly) madness. Rated: 4/4 Oct 3, 2022 Full Review Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine Killer Joe is pitched squarely as a rotted black comedy of errors, a cavalcade of one disaster after another from a bunch of fools tripping over themselves in the pursuit of the one thing that drives America: Greed Rated: 8.5/10 Sep 23, 2022 Full Review Kip Mooney College Movie Review You won't see anything else like it this year. Rated: B Sep 18, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Victor W "Killer Joe" is the kind of movie that makes you question your life choices—specifically, the choice to watch it. Matthew McConaughey's performance as a creepy hitman is unsettlingly good, but the plot is a chaotic mix of dysfunctional family drama and dark humor that left me more confused than entertained. The film's penchant for shock value, especially the infamous fried chicken scene, made me reconsider my fast food preferences. If you enjoy feeling uncomfortable and slightly nauseous, this might be the movie for you. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/15/24 Full Review Steve C I think even the pervs could not get off on it. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/24 Full Review Miles B This was an unexpected find on Amazon Prime. If you enjoy dark comedy, you may like this movie. I might even watch it again someday. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Brian BUGSY M One absolute piece of you know what. And Emile Hirsch is the worst actor of our times. Were these actors that desperate to work with William friedkin? Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/28/23 Full Review Stoner J Whenever Tracy Letts and Friedkin team up it's insane magic! Killer Joe (and Bug) are just crazy, funny and totally bloody. Definitely recommend this and Bug Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/14/23 Full Review prawnda s it feels like a bad fanmade side story to true detective season 1. there's a lot of violence and nudity, some grimy aesthetics, but the writing is less than subtle and the story less than original. im a fan of pretty much every member of the cast, but the production values are pretty mediocre, and the ending is an unsatisfying cacophany. there is zero "dark comedy" to be had here unless you think that ernest is automatically funny just for being on screen. overall, it's watchable, but arguably idealizes sexual predators as much as it objectifies juno temple, and it leaves a bit of a foul taste in the mouth. it makes sense that the film was heavily edited for various releases, because the "ultraviolence" isn't accompanied with the right ironic aesthetics, and it was a flaw for the audience to be presented with joe as somewhat of a protagonist. in one sense, this is a genius concept because it makes the audience feel just as betrayed as the characters in the film do, but on the other hand it's given up a little bit too early for that emphasis to hit, and there is for too much graphic sexual assault after the fact. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A cop (Matthew McConaughey) who moonlights as a hit man agrees to kill the hated mother of a desperate drug dealer (Emile Hirsch) in exchange for a tumble with the young man's virginal sister (Juno Temple).
Director
William Friedkin
Producer
Nicolas Chartier, Scott Einbinder
Screenwriter
Tracy Letts
Production Co
Voltage Pictures, Ana Media
Rating
TV-MA, R (Graphic Nudity|Drug Use|Strong Disturbing Violence|Language|Sexuality)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 3, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.0M
Runtime
1h 41m
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