Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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This is about… hmm… about a father and son who want to kill the mother of the family to collect the insurance money from her death, and hire a killer (also a cop) who decides to take 'as a retainer' the younger sister of the family while they come up with the cash to pay him.

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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Here was my first though when this ended - where did THAT come from? By far this is Matthew McConaughey's most WTF-bad-ass performance, with touches of Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet and even Anton Chigurh. He's such a fantastic, seductive, snake-like villain here, because after the first couple of times you see him, you're not quite sure where he'll go. Friedkin takes this material into some VERY dark places (I imagine based off of the play, once again like 'Bug' from Tracy Letts), and if you aren't offended after the first ten minutes, you just gotta hang on for the rest of the ride. It's a twisted-f**k film-noir comedy of horrors where morality is so screwed that you have to laugh to not recoil from where it goes ultimately.

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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The ending had me howling with laughter, recoiling in pain, and just stunned by McConaughey suddenly shattering an image he's built up for himself over the past fifteen years as a rom-com hack. It's his film, along with the unlikely-attractive actress Juno Temple, who has a seduction scene with 'Killer Joe' that is edge-of-your-seat. For those of us sick- bastards looking for something off the wall, it's one of the must-sees of the year. Not as surreal as Blue Velvet, but not as poorly-crafted trash as a Grindhouse movie. It's in an area somewhere in-between, and I can't wait to see it again.

IMDB Reviewer

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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KILLER JOE is dark. It is very dark. Nor is this apparent from the get-go; it slowly builds atmosphere, spiraling upward into a roaring crescendo of an ending. The film is anchored by the central performance from Matthew McConnaughey, who nails every line, every stare, every step he takes. McConnaughey plays off of his trademark charm; Joe is a nice guy…until he lets the act slip for a heartbeat, and you see the psychopath underneath. McConnaughey's performance is so strong and forceful, you have to take a step back and realize that he's not the only actor in the movie. In fact, the entire central cast is surprisingly good.

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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Emile Hirsch, as Chris, embues an otherwise despicable character with a sense of conscience. Thomas Hayden Church provides much of the levity here; and yet, there's something unnerving about his performance, as though he's only a step or two away from becoming as crazy as Joe. Gina Gershon's performance is haunting and hilarious; the same goes for Juno Temple, as the innocent Dottie. Dottie threatens to be the least interesting character here; yet, thanks to Temple, Dottie comes across as a fully fleshed-out young woman. Her and McConnaughey's scenes, despite their rather blandness compared to some of the film's extremes, are among the hardest to watch.

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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KILLER JOE is not a film for the squeamish. It was filmed as NC-17, and it doesn't shy away from it. There's nudity and there's violence, all of it hard to watch. Tracy Letts' pitch-perfect screenplay (based on his own stage play) not only embraces its white-trash underpinnings, it dives in face-first. And yet, the film is actually a comedy–a dark comedy, to be certain, so dark that some of the humor isn't immediately apparent (McConnaughey, in the bonus features, admits to not "getting" it on his first read). One moment you're laughing; the next, you're trying not to wince. Throughout it all, your attention is riveted to the screen. KILLER JOE isn't for everyone, but if you can tough it out, it's a truly great film.

Amazon.com

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Killer Joe (2011) [Director's Cut]

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Special Features:
- Audio Commentary with Director William Freidkin
- Southern Fried Hospitality: From Stage to Screen
- SXSW Q&A with Cast
- SXSW Intro by William Freidkin
- 'White Trash' Red Band Trailer