Killing Them Softly

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Killing Them Softly

R

Released Nov 30, 2012

1h 37m

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

230 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

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.

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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.

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Cary Darling

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

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

Rated: 3/5

Dec 3, 2012

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Christopher Orr

The Atlantic

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.

Nov 30, 2012

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Caryn James

James on screenS

A disappointing, derivative noir that gets its spark from Pitt and Gandolfini's performances. Slight and pulpy, but it's aiming for arty and trenchant.

Nov 30, 2012

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Although it’s bound to be divisive for its unconventional structure, ruthless tone, and the cynical nature of its message, Killing Them Softly is a rare, exceedingly enjoyable, bleakly comic noir story.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 20, 2022

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Cory Woodroof

615 Film

A dirty, furious little gangster flick with as much to say about capitalism as it does how futile a life it is to live in this world.

Jul 6, 2022

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...ahead of the curve in terms of portraying the inherent nihilism of today's society...

Rated: 4/5

Jan 21, 2022

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Mark A

Very boring a waste of time

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/06/25

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Chief B

I honestly don't know why this movie gets so much negativity. For me it was great from start to finish. I like Brad Pitt's performance as the cold blooded but intelligent and cunning hitman Cogan. Rest of the actors did a solid job too. The cinematography and dialogues are pretty entertaining too. The movie's pacing is perfect and the running time is also perfect. I enjoyed it thoroughly

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/23/25

Full Review

Isa B

A weak plot. Poorly written dialog. Great actors and mostly great performances. Killing Them Softly has its moments, but it suffers from bad writing. The editing of the violent scenes is very good sometimes and other times it is lousy. I certainly don't strongly recommend this film, but I don't forbid it either. 54/100

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

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Audience Member

Not great and but not terrible either.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/03/24

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Craig B

Pretty disappointing. reminds me of Seinfeld, a movie about nothing really. you keep waiting for a payoff and it drags along not doing much, let's throw in Tony Soprano for no reason, ok. Skip it

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/13/24

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ad3686

If you didn't watch it, you have missed nothing. Same story you've seen before done in a style where nothing is likeable.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/04/24

Full Review

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Andrew Dominik

Director

Brad Pitt

Jackie Cogan

Scoot McNairy

Frankie

Ben Mendelsohn

Russell

Richard Jenkins

Driver

James Gandolfini

Mickey

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Synopsis

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.

Director: Andrew Dominik
Producer: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Steve Schwartz, Paula Mae Schwartz, Anthony Katagas
Screenwriter: Andrew Dominik
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Plan B Entertainment, Chockstone Pictures
Rating: R (Some Drug References|Pervasive Language|Some Drug Use|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 30, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 30, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.9M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS

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