Killshot (2008)

Beautiful Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne are placed in the Federal Witness Protection program after witnessing an "incident". Thinking they are at last safe, they are targeted by an experienced hit man and a psychopathic young upstart killer. The ensuing struggle will test Carmen to the limit.

Director:

John Madden

Writers:

Hossein Amini (screenplay), Elmore Leonard (novel)

Stars:

Thomas Jane, Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Jane	...	Wayne Colson
Diane Lane	...	Carmen Colson
Mickey Rourke	...	Armand 'Blackbird' Degas
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Richie Nix
Rosario Dawson	...	Donna
Alexis Butler	...	Girl in Hotel Room
Hal Holbrook	...	Papa
Brandon McGibbon	...	Blackbird's Kid Brother
Robert Gow	...	Prospective Buyer
Catherine Hayos	...	Prospective Buyer
Peter Kelly Gaudreault	...	Blackbird's Brother
Craig Blair	...	Construction Site Foreman
Michelle Arvizu	...	Nurse
Lynne Deragon	...	Mrs. Palino
Richard Zeppieri	...	Son-in-Law / Mafia Boss

Storyline

Beautiful Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne are placed in the Federal Witness Protection program after witnessing an extortion scheme go wrong. Thinking they are at last safe, they are targeted by an experienced intimidating hit man and a psychopathic young upstart killer. The ensuing struggle will test Carmen to the limit.

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Plot Keywords:

witness protection program | cigarette smoking | estranged couple | pistol | shower | 

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Taglines:

Yesterday she was a witness. Today she's a target.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 2008 (Israel)

Also Known As:

D'un coup, d'un seul

Filming Locations:

Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$10,741 (USA) (23 January 2009)

Gross:

$17,007 (USA) (30 January 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Weinstein Company, The, FilmColony, Lawrence Bender Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's history traces back to when the project was originally at Miramax under Disney's banner around 1995, when the Weinsteins were running that division. This is one of several projects that they took with them when they sold their stake of Miramax to Disney outright in 2005 and then announced a distribution deal with MGM soon after that this film was among those such as Lucky Number Slevin, Clerks II and 1408 to name a few.

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Goofs

After Richie Nix's shooting rampage in the gas station, a close up reveals that his shotgun is an obvious cheap plastic replica.

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Quotes

Richie Nix: Well, my name's Richie Nix, in case you've ever heard of me. That's N-i-x; it's not the way Stevie Nicks spells hers.

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Soundtracks

"Suspicion"
Words and Music by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
Performed by Elvis Presley
Courtesy of the RCA Records Label
By Arrangement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment

User Reviews

Suspense, Thriller, Romance and Missing Pieces

KILLSHOT is far from being a great movie. I suppose it could be said that it isn't even a movie, but instead a DVD project as it has a rather leaden history. But though there was no theatrical release to garner public interest and little promotional material about its shelf release, it may just find an audience among word of mouth promotion. It has enough elements to keep the interest of even late at night tired viewers - and that says a lot these days. Elmore Leonard's novel has been reconstructed by Hossein Amini and John Madden has done his best to string together the various beads of the plots that comprise this story, and the result is a film peppered by some worthwhile actors who do their best to make the implausible story lines work.

Armand 'Blackbird' Degas (Mickey Rourke) is a long time hit-man, an American Indian with a past pasted together by tragedies who accepts an assignment to make a new kill. His plan is disrupted by his accidental and maladaptive association with a bona fide psychopath Richie Nix (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and girlfriend Donna (Rosario Dawson). Nix decides to partner with Blackbird and in the process they encounter a 'couple on the rocks' - Carmen and Wayne Colson (Thomas Jane and Diane Lane) - who happen to witness an incident that puts them in danger of Nix and Blackbird's recipe for not leaving witnesses. The couple is put on Witness Protection Program but that doesn't dent the clever Blackbird from accomplishing his goals. The rest of the story is a cat and mouse chase that has some moments of real terror. And as in most of Leonard's stories, things don't turn out the way they seem to suggest.

Things are missing from this film that create holes in the story and stretch credibility. The work by the lead actors is quite good as is that of the momentary cameos by such luminaries as Hal Holbrook and Lois Smith. A great film this is not, but a film that maintains attention/tension it is and worth an evening's entertainment. Grady Harp