Killing Them Softly

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Killing Them Softly

R

2012

1h 37m

Crime

Drama

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

226 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

When rival crook Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) hatches a plan to rob a card game run by mob lackey Markie (Ray Liotta), he picks a low-rent thug named Frankie (Scoot McNairy) to do the job. Frankie picks a less-than-ideal partner (Ben Mendelsohn) to help him, but despite their combined incompetence, they manage to make off with the mob's money. In retaliation, Markie's bosses hire Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), a mob enforcer, to eradicate those responsible.

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Critics Consensus

Killing Them Softly is a darkly comic, visceral thriller that doubles as a cautionary tale on capitalism, whose message is delivered with sledgehammer force.

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Cary Darling

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Dec 3, 2012

3/5

The anvils of obviousness rain down so hard and fast in New Zealand-born/Australian-based director Andrew Dominik's meditation on low-rent crime and American decline, that it might as well be a Coyote-Road Runner cartoon

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Christopher Orr

The Atlantic

Nov 30, 2012

Like its source material, the movie is stylish, profane, intelligent, and eminently diverting. But as much as it is a delight that Dominik has disinterred Higgins's work, it is a mild disappointment that the result is not more substantial.

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Caryn James

James on screenS

Nov 30, 2012

A disappointing, derivative noir that gets its spark from Pitt and Gandolfini's performances. Slight and pulpy, but it's aiming for arty and trenchant.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Sep 20, 2022

4/4

Although it’s bound to be divisive for its unconventional structure, ruthless tone, and the cynical nature of its message, Killing Them Softly is a rare, exceedingly enjoyable, bleakly comic noir story.

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Cory Woodroof

615 Film

Jul 6, 2022

A dirty, furious little gangster flick with as much to say about capitalism as it does how futile a life it is to live in this world.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jan 21, 2022

4/5

...ahead of the curve in terms of portraying the inherent nihilism of today's society...

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Marc E

@marcedwards1975 4 days ago

Highly under rated movie that didn't get the attention it deserved. Well written and acted.

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Mario B

@RT57500419 Sep 10, 2026

The visuals were hard on the eyes and honestly it felt like the actors were just trying to get a quick paycheck. I believe that this movie was made as a tax write off but for whatever reason they decided it needed to be released in theaters

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Cole D

@RT78180295 Aug 25, 2026

Cool slow motion shots with tons of violence and gore underrated movie

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Bruce F

@MoralMaster Aug 21, 2026

Brad Pitt did amazing James did well but the movie felt lacking some flare instead of a political message in the back round brad was really the only real treat in the movie but it was still decent

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Oleksii K

@RT50708344 Jul 16, 2026

In aftermath it more feels like a generational scorsese-esque film. Dialogues, camera angles, character lines. Even actor selection - ray liotta plays old ray liotta, james gandolfini plays old worn out gangster that still posses all well-known attributes of old-school gangster but incapable of doing what he's meant to. Overall is more of a personal heart-warming "thank you" from Plan B aka Brad Pitt to inspirational authors than a independent art expression but it's a beauty of it if you can see.

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Gypsy G

@GypsyGua86 May 24, 2026

Only gets 2 stars because the actors are all great, and good cinematography. Otherwise, prepare yourself to watch 2 hours of hitmen monologuing during every scene, while waiting for them to wrap up a very basic plot. A huge drag.

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Andrew Dominik

Director

Brad Pitt

Jackie Cogan

Scoot McNairy

Frankie

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Synopsis

When rival crook Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) hatches a plan to rob a card game run by mob lackey Markie (Ray Liotta), he picks a low-rent thug named Frankie (Scoot McNairy) to do the job. Frankie picks a less-than-ideal partner (Ben Mendelsohn) to help him, but despite their combined incompetence, they manage to make off with the mob's money. In retaliation, Markie's bosses hire Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), a mob enforcer, to eradicate those responsible.

Director: Andrew Dominik
Producer: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Steve Schwartz, Paula Mae Schwartz, Anthony Katagas
Screenwriter: Andrew Dominik
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Plan B Entertainment, Chockstone Pictures
Rating: R (Some Drug References|Pervasive Language|Some Drug Use|Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 30, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 30, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.9M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS

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