Domesticating the mobster within society has become almost a commonplace, thanks to The Sopranos, but Kingsley's tight-lipped gruffness gives a lift to the mordant ironies of the script.
You Kill Me (2007)
Rated: 15
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins
Theatrical Release: 07-12-2007
Synopsis: Cinematic hit men are dual-edged characters who can easily slip into the role of hero or villain, making them an attractive proposition for directors looking to pack an emotional punch. YOU KILL ME stars Ben Kingsley (SEXY BEAST) as Frank Falenczyk, a hit man whose work for the Buffalo-based... Cinematic hit men are dual-edged characters who can easily slip into the role of hero or villain, making them an attractive proposition for directors looking to pack an emotional punch. YOU KILL ME stars Ben Kingsley (SEXY BEAST) as Frank Falenczyk, a hit man whose work for the Buffalo-based Mafia has been hampered by his hopeless alcoholism. Director John Dahl (THE LAST SEDUCTION) sends his lead character off to San Francisco where Alcoholics Anonymous awaits, as does Dave (Bill Pullman), who helps Frank get an apartment and a job in a mortuary. The job introduces Frank to Laurel (Téa Leoni), whom he begins a relationship with while occasionally falling off the wagon and attending AA meetings. Luke Wilson makes an appearance as a fellow alcoholic who mentors Frank through the program. YOU KILL ME is a wonderful return to form for Dahl, who has struggled to build on his early, noir-inflected career. Kingsley is as reliable as ever in the central role, and he demonstrates an impressive array of emotions as the film progresses. Credit is also due to co-screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely who deliver a tight and hugely enjoyable plot while also adding generous doses of dark humor throughout. Intelligent and fun, YOU KILL ME is likely to gain a strong word-of-mouth reputation as viewers are lured into its fold. [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina, Bill Pullman
DVD Info
Release:
Sep 10, 2007
DVD Features:
- Widescreen
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Additional Release Materials:
- Audio Commentary - John Dahl - Director; Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely - Writers
- Behind The Scenes
- Featurettes - "Before After Visual Effects Composition"
- Trailer - Theatrical Trailers
Reviews
Ben Kingsley brings a batty, basilisk wit to You Kill Me, a black comedy about a dipsomaniacal hitman.
A great cast and a great script make this a surprising recommendation as a first date movie.
A fitfully amusing black comedy about an alcoholic assassin, its well-drawn characters drown in a generic gangster plot and a painfully low budget.
An uneven black comedy-thriller that’s nonetheless worth catching for Téa Leoni’s bracingly sharp performance and the inspired idea of putting hitman Ben Kingsley into AA. Just focus on the well-etched characters and don’t worry too much about the plot.
The opening six-minute shot of dawn breaking over a rural landscape is worth the price of admission alone. Stunning.
All dilutions aside, director Dahl mixes a dash of Six Feet Under with shots of Mr & Mrs Smith and Grosse Point Blank to put the kick into an enjoyably spiky little cocktail.
A badly written hash of a film, which will struggle to please even the most devout Sir Ben fans.
The film isn't without its flaws, but in defying Hollywood convention, it manages to reach parts other comedies cannot reach.
A sweet black comedy about a professional killer from Buffalo whose gangster uncle makes him join Alcoholics Anonymous in San Francisco, falls in love with a down to earth saleswoman and cleans up his act so he can be a neater killer.
Kingsley seems to be sleepwalking through the entire movie, in a faux-understated performance
Not a masterpiece, mind you, nor the funniest thing you could see on a lazy summer afternoon; but a fine motion picture.
Surely there aren't many emotionally fragile mobster stories left in the Hollywood arsenal. But at least Kill is a pretty good shot with the laughs.
Slays me over its colorful amusing characters even if its story underwhelms me.
I could watch Kingsley and Leoni for days. They're the film's true draw.
[Director] Dahl exudes such a casual control; his lightness of touch reads as a concern for good form, like knowing how to squeeze a trigger instead of pulling it.
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