NC-17 | 103 Min. | Mystery, Thriller, Comedy
Future Remake Title: Now That’s Fried Chicken!
In a nutshell: So your mom stole an ounce of blow to fix her dilapidated Cadillac. Gosh darn it, you’re now in the hole with the dealer. (Gee, thanks ma!) But wait, she’s got a $50K life insurance policy. And you know a guy who knows a guy that can expedite the natural cycle of life? Hey Mensa, there’s another layer to this sterling inspiration of Machiavellian profundity… The cleaner also moonlights as a Dallas PD detective. Pass me a drumstick and let the games begin.
Cobra’s Bite: While known for such iconic titles as The French Connection and The Exorcist, William Friedkin’s last few projects translate material imagined for the stage. His screen adaptations tap into a hyperbolized, yet focused, illustration of psychological conditions. Friedkin’s previous feature, 2006’s Bug, was so bizarre that many audiences left theaters confounded. If his goal was to produce irregular palpitations conduced by relentless paranoia, Friedkin succeeded in spades. Bug’s two leads consume each other’s exhausting suspicions, but the original playwright’s own distrust ultimately paints the film’s timely verisimilitude.
* A quick tip before watching Friedkin’s last two efforts: Skip the trailers. Bug’s biggest obstacle was its marketing. Audiences were promised a horror flick, driven by the promise of an entomological monstrosity. Honestly, the studio probably played the advertising as best it could. The trailers had to appeal to a wide audience, despite the film’s niche scope.
Six years later, the enigmatic director returns with the similarly eccentric Killer Joe. Thankfully, the studio was smart enough to push this film through the independent circuit (helped along by its NC-17 rating, naturally). Regional vernacular and a serious score keep the characters believable in this Southern gothic noir. Panic is established with the first shot, as Chris Smith (Emile Hirsch) barges into his family’s trailer home. With shortages of collective brainpower and any sense of scruples, the family’s dangerously underdeveloped scheme isn’t exactly an original narrative. However, the film takes a serious turn after a Texas-sized pair of black cowboy boots walks across the screen.
If there was any doubt as to Matthew McConaughey’s range, Killer Joe effectively puts the notion to rest. His portrayal of Joe Cooper is masterfully creepy, unstable and surprisingly touching. Hitchcock believed a scene’s real power lies not when the bomb goes off, but in its audience knowing the bomb is ticking underneath the breakfast table. McConaughey pulls off two such instances with an authenticity that temporarily erases any memory of David Wooderson cruising for high school chicks (Linklater fans aside). These scenes are highly uncomfortable and perversely hilarious. Friedkin’s sardonic wink will likely elevate these visuals to cult-status, joining those immortalized in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet.
As Chris’ bumpkin father, Ansel, Thomas Haden Church provides much of the film’s deadpan humor. Gina Gershon completely submerses her body and spirit into the dark places her role demands. Despite being asked to leap out of any sane comfort zone, Gershon conveys brilliant subtlety during Sharla’s key moments. Unfortunately, Hirsch falls a bit flat while driving Chris’ persistent edginess.
Keep an eye out for British import Juno Temple. The casting of dim, yet hopeful, Dottie Smith required a young actress capable of executing a measured performance. The fast rising starlet effortlessly displays a nuanced maturity beyond her years. As the film’s singular expression of innocence, Dottie represents a harsh truth: If purity stands alone in a grotesque world, it will grab love from the most despicable of places.
The Verdict:
Killer Joe is now playing in theaters.
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