Killer Joe

For this blog, I usually travel back to the 70's, 80's, and 90's to look at forgotten cinema. Today is going to be a short trip back to 2011, and a great little film called Killer Joe.

After a decade of making us suffer through dreck like How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days and Failure To Launch, Matthew McConaughey decided to go the independent route and star in films that audiences wouldn't want to walk out on. One of those, The Dallas Buyers Club, even earned him an Oscar. But that Oscar win was lined with other great performances that lead up to it. Killer Joe being one.

Young drug dealer Chris, Emile Hirsch, in debt with some loan sharks, gets wind that his mother has a huge life insurance policy that his slightly naive and child like teen sister Dottie, Juno Temple, is the sole beneficiary. Knowing that his sister will split the money, he hatches a scheme with his slow witted father Ansel, Thomas Haden Church, to murder his mom. Ansel also includes Chris' stepmom Charla, Gina Gershon, in on the cut. Chris decides to hire the mysterious Killer Joe, McConaughey. A Texas lawman who moonlights as a hitman. The only problem is that Joe needs his money upfront and they can't collect on the insurance money until the mother is dead. Joe decides to take a retainer, that in the form of Dottie. Being men of no scruples, Ansel and Chris agree. Dottie is nervous at first, but soon warms up to Joe and the two become smitten with one another. Chris thinks that after the murder, he will be on easy street and rid of the loan sharks and Joe, but there are more hurtles to go with lots of twists and turns and a finale that will make you think twice about eating fried chicken again.

Directed by the legendary William Friedkin, Killer Joe shows that the director of The Exorcist and The French Connection hasn't mellowed with age. Along with screenwriter Tracy Letts, who he also worked with on the great film Bug, has created a dark, funny, and gruesome little movie. McConaughey could have easily turned on his good ol' boy charm and phoned this in, but under Friedkin's direction, he actually turns in more of a quiet, cool performance that is more menacing and effective. The supporting cast is really good too, especially Juno Temple, who has a nice balance of child like innocence and darkness.

With this cast and director, it's kind of hard to believe that it kind of slipped through the cracks. I think the main reason is that it was rated NC17. Most theater chains won't touch an NC17 movie, even if it stars McConaughy. But I have to commend Mr. Friedkin for standing by his guns and refusing to make any cuts, still proving why he is one of the great, all time filmmakers.

Killer Joe is available on dvd and blu ray.