Review: 'Killing Them Softly' is more talk, less action

Film: Killing Them Softly
Director: Andrew Dominik
Cast: Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, James Gandolfini, Ben Mendelsohn and others
Rating: **

Based on George V Higgins’ novel Cogan’s Trade, Killing Them Softly follows Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), a professional killer, as he attempts to uncover a heist by two small-time crooks, that happens during a mob-protected poker game.

The film’s focus is on the economic turmoil and the period of transition for America from Bush to Obama. With speeches about strong America, hope and change providing a constant soundtrack, Killing Them Softly endeavours to introduce the audience to the workings of the criminal underworld. If you don’t get the point the film is trying to make immediately, don’t worry; a big speech by Cogan at the end will make it plenty clear.

Now, director Andrew Dominik tweaked the storyline a bit to update the setting but the sets and the characters still pretty much look like a cross between the world of Grease and The Sopranos.

Pitt is quite good as Cogan, who  is not a stereotypical straight-faced emotionally dead assassin. On the contrary, he likes to talk, hand out advice and does not like killing a man up close so as to avoid unnecessary drama. James Gandolfini (the Soprano himself) gives a stellar performance as Mickey, a washed-up alcoholic hitman of yesteryear, but is wasted. His appearance in the film is useless and the absence of his character would make no difference to the plot. 

Despite a good cast and decent performances, Killing Them Softly fails to hit the right spots. The plot is messy and boringly obvious. Lengthy sequences and a tendency to preach ruins what could have been a thrilling crime flick.