The Killer Inside Me (Michael Winterbottom, 2010)

[oldsheperd]

This flick is available for order on Direct TV ppv just FYI

[Yojimbo]

Not to crap all over this film, but I've hated everything Winterbottom has made, and love Jim Thompson (this being my favorite of his novels) so I'm skeptical at best. And I can't think of a film adaptation of Thompson topping Coup de Torchon or Foley's After Dark, My Sweet (I hated The Grifters).

I've yet to see a Winterbottom film!
(not intentional, its more a case of there's always been something I'd much rather watch, or do, at the time I considered watching one of his films)

Maggie Greenwald made a marvellous low-key, low-budget Thompson adaptation called 'The Kill-Off'
And Alain Corneau's adaptation of my second-favourite JT novel, 'A Hellof A Woman' 'Serie Noire' is my second favourite adaptation of his, after 'Coup' (and Pop.1280 is my favourite of his novels)

[Yojimbo]

And I can't think of a film adaptation of Thompson topping Coup de Torchon or Foley's After Dark, My Sweet (I hated The Grifters).

Agree with you about Coup and After Dark; what did you hate about Grifters?

Not a fan of Frears at all. I felt the film was too smug, too glib...

not too mention having too many 'Sting'-type elements for its own good
(although Anjelica Huston, Pat Hingle, and the great Charles Napier almost compensated)

[oldsheperd]

Watched this last night. Overall: MEH. This film doesn't even come remotely close to the brutality of Irreversible. I really don't see what all the hub-bub about the violence is about. Casey Affleck does turn in a very subdued, subtle performance. He doesn't go over the top in his role. He is really the personfication of the banality of evil.

[Fiery Angel]

Watched this last night. Overall: MEH. This film doesn't even come remotely close to the brutality of Irreversible. I really don't see what all the hub-bub about the violence is about.

So you didn't like it because it wasn't violent enough?

[oldsheperd]

I didn't say I didn't like it. It was okay as far as films go. In reference to the violence, what I was saying was in response to all the stuff I've heard over the film being violent because of it's strong violent content. There really isn't a ton of violent acts in the film. It's actually way less violent then, say, Inglorious Basterds. I think though that since a good majority of the violence is directed at women, that's what makes it controversial. The beating involving him and Jessica Alba is kind of rough.
It's interesting though that when the movie begins there is an explicit warning that the film is extremely graphic in it's use of violence and sex. I really didn't think that that warning was necessary. Well, unless butt-smacking is something you find disturbing, then it's not really necessary to have that.
Whether or not it's violent enough has nothing to do with my feelings about the film.

[Fiery Angel]

Your initial post made it seem like you were disappointed in it not being violent enough. Thanks for clarifying.

[Finch]

Saw it last weekend and wasn't thrilled with it either. Like oldshephard, the now notorious scene with Alba struck me as disturbing but all the same I've seen worse. The suggestion from some quarters that she appears to be grateful for having her face beaten to a bloody pulp is utter nonsense. She is clearly shocked by what's happening to her. She does say that she loves him but she is not in any way grateful or aroused by what he does to her. I wonder if some critics have tended to misremember the scene if they came to the film unprepared. As far as this particular scene goes, I don't think the misogyny charges are fair. The scene reminded me a lot of the domestic violence we often read about in the papers or see reports of on television, and in that sense it felt chillingly real. I can't see anyone with a sound mind being thrilled or aroused by this scene. My main problem with the picture is that it relies on the same old psychological cliches to examine the character and it's only skin-deep at best. Elias Koteas steals every scene he's in; Affleck in contrast seemed to rely a bit too much on his sardonic grin shtick. Frankly, I liked him better in Jesse James.

All in all, I feel pretty indifferent to this film.

[oldsheperd]

I feel the same as Finchy. I'm indifferent to the film. I do disagree though. I think Affleck does an excellent job. His performance is really understated in an "Aww shucks" kind of manner. He's very clean cut and boyish looking, the best kind of psycho killer ala Norman Bates .

[Fiery Angel]

Elias Koteas steals every scene he's in

Never a good sign when one of the most one-dimensional actors around is the best thing in the movie

[HistoryProf]

huh? Elias Koteas is one-dimensional? Someone hasn't seen Some Kind of Wonderful.

[flyonthewall2983]

Watch Crash, then watch The Thin Red Line and tell me that with a straight face.

[Anhedionisiac]

Let's not forget Exotica. He couldn't pull off one-dimensional if his life depended on it. Shit, he even manages to be complex in The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie

[flyonthewall2983]

Haven't seen it but I'll take your word for it. But those two performances I cited, they are night and day.

[HistoryProf]

i don't think i've ever seen/heard anyone disparage Elias Koteas. I thought he was pretty much universally acknowledged to be one of this generations great character actors. I guess you learn something new every day....

[domino harvey]

I thought he was pretty much universally acknowledged to be one of this generations great character actors.

I think the universe forgot to cc me on that one

[Finch]

Two critics, a crime novelist and an actress were asked about their reactions to the film.

[willoneill]

I thought he was pretty much universally acknowledged to be one of this generations great character actors.

He's at least the best actor to appear in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film.

[oldsheperd]

Wait a minute we all know the best actors in TMNT movies runs:

1. Corey Feldman
2. Vanilla Ice
3.Elia Koteas

[Murdoch]

Man, when Vanilla Ice was in the sequel I thought it was the coolest thing ever

[tavernier]

i don't think i've ever seen/heard anyone disparage Elias Koteas. I thought he was pretty much universally acknowledged to be one of this generations great character actors.

It looks like Hoberman didn't get that memo either. Here's an excerpt from his unenthusiastic review:

Koteas's relentless overacting accentuates Winterbottom's greatest asset: Affleck.

[Anhedionisiac]

Well, he has been going a bit overboard in the last few years but that's because they tend to hire him to do precisely that

[Kirkinson]

He's at least the best actor to appear in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film.

Wait a minute we all know the best actors in TMNT movies runs:

1. Corey Feldman
2. Vanilla Ice
3.Elia Koteas

Has everybody forgotten that David Warner was in one of these? ("God, I hope so," said David Warner.)

[Mr Sausage]

He's at least the best actor to appear in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film.

Wait a minute we all know the best actors in TMNT movies runs:

1. Corey Feldman
2. Vanilla Ice
3.Elia Koteas

Has everybody forgotten that David Warner was in one of these? ("God, I hope so," said David Warner.)

As was Sam Rockwell, if I recall.

[jbeall]

Andrew O'Hehir's piece in salon.com