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| Still from Killer Joe |
One of the more disturbing Films you'll see in 2012 is Killer Joe. Not to say you won't be at the edge of your seat the whole time, mind you. Morals thrown-out the window, the Action-Dramedy from William Friedkin centers around Chris (Emile Hirsch), whose life is endangered after falling severely into debt. Hoping to stike-gold for him and his Family, he contracts Joe (Matthew McConaughey) to murder his estranged Mother in hopes of cashing an Inheritance. He soon realizes that things don't work out as easily as hoped.
Chris' Father Ansel (Thomas Haden Church), Stepmother Sharla (Gina Gershon) and naïve young Sister Dottie (Juno Temple) soon get caught-up in a grimy web of Deception as they struggle making ends meet to pay Joe, who becomes a part of their Family with his affections for young Dottie. With time running out for the troubled Smiths and lines of appropriateness crossed with disregard, we wonder whether or not they are able to accomplish their Mission to cash-in. Will it be too late for them with one of the most dangerous Men in the South circling-in far too close for comfort, as their payment deadline approaches?
Killer Joe features a lethal Ensemble Cast fronted by a finger lickin' good performance from McConaughey, who straddles that fine line between creepy and alluring with precision. If you can walk away with one observation from it all, that would be that nobody in 2012 has made bad look as good as McConaughey in one of this year's most memorable performances.
The underrated Gershon is a delight to watch in all her trembling intensity, especially in a revealing moment late in the Film, while Church gives a Master's Class in Daftness providing several moments of Comedy. Temple's Star continues to be on the rise and her childlike innocence juxtaposed against the evil around her, is irresistible. Hirsch effectively carries much of the weight here on his own against some brilliant types - by no means an easy feat.
VVS Films releases Killer Joe in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver on August 10, 2012.
Click here to see some Photos from the TIFF 2011 Premiere of Killer Joe!
