Killing Them Softly (2012)

Director:

Andrew Dominik

Writers (WGA):

Andrew Dominik (screenplay)
George V. Higgins (based on the novel "Cogan's Trade" by)

Release Date:

30 November 2012 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

In America you're on your own

Plot:

Jackie Cogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.

Plot Keywords:

Contract Killer | Reference To Barack Obama | Alcoholism | Contract Killing | Sex Talk

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Brad Pitt	...	Jackie
Scoot McNairy	...	Frankie
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Russell
James Gandolfini	...	Mickey
Richard Jenkins	...	Driver
Vincent Curatola	...	Johnny Amato
Ray Liotta	...	Markie Trattman
Trevor Long	...	Steve Caprio
Max Casella	...	Barry Caprio
Sam Shepard	...	Dillon
Slaine	...	Kenny Gill
Linara Washington	...	Hooker
Ross Brodar	...	Poker Guy
Wade Allen	...	Business Suit Agent
Christopher Berry	...	Cab Driver Agent
Kenneth Brown Jr.	...	Security Force Agent
Mustafa Harris	...	Bartender #1
Dared Wright	...	Waiter
John McConnell	...	Bartender #2
Bryan Billingsley	...	Bar Patron #1
Shannon Brewer	...	Bar Patron #2
Roger Pfeiffer	...	Bar Patron #3
Joe Chrest	...	Business Suit Agent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Julia Adams	...	Maid (uncredited)
Rhonda Floyd Aguillard	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Julio Castillo	...	Miss Annie (uncredited)
Edward J. Clare	...	Prison Doctor (uncredited)
Garret Dillahunt	...	Eddie Mattie (uncredited)
Gregory Allen Gabroy	...	Reveler (uncredited)
Oscar Gale	...	Sweet Melinda (uncredited)
Joshua Joseph Gillum	...	Murderer (uncredited)
Gene Kevin Hames Jr.	...	Poker Dealer #1 (uncredited)
Bella Heathcote	...	(uncredited)
Kirk Jordan	...	DEA Agent (uncredited)
Wendy Clarice Jordan	...	Pink Pants (uncredited)
John C. Klein	...	Traveler (uncredited)
Shadoe Knight	...	Mafia Poker Player (uncredited)
Raymond Lapino	...	Elderly Poker Player (uncredited)
Cynthia LeBlanc	...	AMTRAK / Greyhound Bus patron (uncredited)
Elton LeBlanc	...	AMTRAK / Greyhound Bus patron (uncredited)
David Joseph Martinez	...	Pablo (uncredited)
Adam Sibley	...	Naked Guy (uncredited)
Logan Douglas Smith	...	Bus Station Constrution Worker (uncredited)
Daniel Vincent	...	Evicted Husband (uncredited)
Glen Warner	...	Construction Worker (uncredited)
Elvin Yoshida	...	Asian Poker Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Dominik

Writing credits (WGA)
Andrew Dominik		(screenplay)
George V. Higgins		(based on the novel "Cogan's Trade" by)

Produced by
Matthew Budman	....	co-producer
Marc Butan	....	executive producer
Megan Ellison	....	executive producer
Will French	....	co-producer
Dede Gardner	....	producer
Bill Johnson	....	executive producer
Anthony Katagas	....	producer
Brad Pitt	....	producer
Stephen Roberts	....	co-producer
Scott Andrew Robertson	....	associate producer
Douglas Saylor Jr.	....	co-producer
Paula Mae Schwartz	....	producer
Roger Schwartz	....	co-producer
Steve Schwartz	....	producer
Jim Seibel	....	executive producer
Adi Shankar	....	executive producer
Spencer Silna	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Greig Fraser		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Paul Horstmann		(co-editor)
Brian A. Kates

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Patricia Norris

Set Decoration by
Leslie Morales

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Erin Dell'amore	....	lifecast assistant to Kazuhiro Tsuji
Chad Engel	....	lab assistant
Robin Myriah Hatcher	....	special makeup effects production coordinator: Tinsley Studio
Adruitha Lee	....	department head hair
Dennis Liddiard	....	makeup department head
Mike Mekash	....	special makeup effects artist
Kent Richard	....	additional hair
Aimee Stuit	....	key makeup artist
Christien Tinsley	....	special makeup effects designer and creator
Kazuhiro Tsuji	....	makeup concept designer: Brad Pitt
Hiroshi Yada	....	special makeup effects artist: Tinsley Studio

Production Management
John Fedynich	....	production supervisor
James Masi	....	post-production supervisor
Cynthia Nicolella	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Altieri	....	first assistant director: second unit
Renee Marsella	....	additional second second assistant director
Cali Pomes	....	second second assistant director
Darrin Prescott	....	second unit director
Scott Andrew Robertson	....	first assistant director
Jonas Spaccarotelli	....	second assistant director
Mark C. Stevens	....	additional key second assistant director

Art Department
William Burck	....	set dresser
Gregory T. Geniusz	....	set dresser
Michael A. Johnson	....	leadman
Heather Korman	....	props
Kristin Lekki	....	graphic artist
Jordan Lightner	....	greensman
Michael S. Martin	....	property master
Mariah Mills	....	buyer
Ruffin Moye	....	greensman
Alixandra Petrovich	....	on-set dresser
Brad Quintana	....	painter
John Richoux	....	on-set greensman
Victoria St. Pierre	....	lead scenic
Michael G. Tveten	....	construction coordinator (as Michael Tvetan)
Taylor Weeks	....	scenic
Darry Young	....	set decoration buyer

Sound Department
Wade Barnett	....	adr recordist
Patrick Christensen	....	adr recordist
Jesse Ehredt	....	sound recordist
Kirk Francis	....	sound mixer
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Robert Jackson	....	supervising sound editor
Jason Johnston	....	boom operator
Tim Limer	....	sound recordist
Travis MacKay	....	adr mixer
Thomas O'Neil Younkman	....	supervising sound editor
Jordan O'Neill	....	datasat sound consultant
A. Josh Reinhardt	....	sound editor
Leslie Shatz	....	sound mixer
Dirk Stout	....	sound utility
Callie Thurman	....	assistant sound editor
Mandell Winter	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
John S. Baker	....	special effects foreman
Mark Hava	....	special effects foreman
David Nash	....	special effects technician
Bob Riggs	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Andrey Drogobetski	....	compositor
Elbert Irving IV	....	visual effects coordinator: Wildfire VFX
Tom Lamb	....	digital compositor
Diva Magpayo	....	digital intermediate editor
Greg-Paul Malone	....	Flame artist (as Greg Paul Malone)
Caleb Owens	....	digital compositor
Mitch Paulson	....	digital colorist
Ryan J. Quinlan	....	compositor
Lauren Ritchie	....	visual effects producer: Wildfire VFX
Dottie Starling	....	visual effects supervisor: Wildfire VFX
David B. Wolgemuth II	....	digital compositor
Steven Young	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Rhonda Floyd Aguillard	....	precision driver
Wade Allen	....	stunt coordinator
Stanton Barrett	....	stunt double: Brad Pitt
Hunter Baxley	....	stunt performer
Eddie Braun	....	stunt driver
Holland Diaz	....	stunt double: Bobby
Jeff Galpin	....	stunt performer
Regis Harrington	....	stunt double
Raion Hill	....	stunts
Antal Kalik	....	stunts
David Mueller	....	stunt double
Robert Nagle	....	stunt driver
Jim Palmer	....	stunt double: Slaine
Darrin Prescott	....	supervising stunt coordinator
Tom Proctor	....	stunt performer
Buster Reeves	....	stunt performer
Bill Scharpf	....	stunt driver
Michelle Torres	....	precision driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Austin Alward	....	additional first assistant camera
Webster Batista	....	assistant camera
Adam Beard	....	grip
Jeff Bettis	....	key rigging grip
Autumn Boh	....	first assistant camera
Wesley Bryant	....	lamp operator
Michael Ciancio	....	phantom camera technician
Larry Cottrill	....	electrician
Dan Furst	....	video assist
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Shane E. Gros	....	grip
Keith Gruchala	....	camera operator: second unit
Ian Hanna	....	dolly grip
John C. Hoffler Jr.	....	camera loader
Zachary Holmes	....	video utility
Andrew Johnson	....	AR rig operator
Andrew Johnson	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Andrew Johnson	....	cinematographer: second unit
McKay Johnson	....	camera technician: Phantom
Larron Rome Julian	....	assistant camera
Rome Julian	....	camera loader
Alan Keffer	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Gary Kelso	....	best boy grip
Jay Kemp	....	gaffer
Michael D. Kennedy	....	second assistant camera
Kurt Kornemann	....	key grip
Charles C. Lee	....	set lighting
Lisa Long	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Griffin McCann	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Mason McGuire	....	rigging electric best boy
Andrew Peck	....	second assistant camera
Dave Quinlan	....	electrician
Dawn Spatz	....	camera intern
Eric Swanek	....	first assistant camera
Eric Swanek	....	steadicam assistant
Michael Trejo	....	grip
Sergio Villegas	....	lighting technician
Adam Ward	....	camera operator: second unit
David Wexler	....	phantom camera technician
Earl Woods	....	rigging gaffer

Casting Department
Robin Batherson	....	casting director: extras
Lauren Grey	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Jason Landry	....	extras casting
Meagan Lewis	....	location casting: New Orleans
Olivia Vestina Torres	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Meghan Cornay	....	set costumer
Annette Farnsworth	....	set costumer
Bridget Fenlason	....	wardrobe supervisor
Andree Fortier	....	ager/dyer
Heidi Howell	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Alexander Anderson	....	editorial intern
Robyn A. Cole	....	editorial intern
Tara Fidler	....	first assistant editor
Olivier Fontenay	....	colorist
Vanessa Galvez	....	project manager
Harry Muller	....	color timer
Andrew Jon Wallace	....	editorial production assistant

Music Department
Rachel Fox	....	music supervisor
Marc Streitenfeld	....	composer: musicial ambiences
Marc Streitenfeld	....	musician: piano pieces
Brian A. Kates	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dawn Cook	....	driver
Greg Faucett	....	transportation coordinator
Travis Hux	....	transportation captain
Brad Lips	....	fuel truck driver
Daniel Woodcock	....	driver
James Yeates	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Alan Abrams	....	production legal
Joaquin Aragon	....	production assistant
Frank Barnett	....	additional set production assistant
Nicole Barton	....	production executive
Jupiter Baudot	....	production assistant
Kacie Baxter	....	additional production assistant
Ashley Bearden	....	production coordinator
Erin Rhea Berson	....	assistant: Anthony Katagas
Preston Bishop	....	stand-in: Ben Mendelsohn
Bret Borgeson	....	travel coordinator
Zoe Bower	....	post facilities manager
Tom Bubrig	....	stand-in/photo double
Dottie Buck	....	craft service
Ruth Caffery	....	assistant location manager
Lisa M. Calhoun	....	additional production assistant
Andrew Carlson	....	production assistant
Batou Chandler	....	location manager
Felder Charbonnet	....	stand-in: Vincent Curatola
Chris Clinton	....	additional set production assistant
Jeff Dash	....	production accountant
Tana David	....	post facilities coordinator
Angel De La Vina	....	additional set production assistant
Brittney Diez	....	production assistant
Meg Dudley	....	additional production assistant
Evan Eastham	....	location assistant
Mary Frances Eglin	....	script supervisor
Anne Fader	....	production secretary
Matt Flanders	....	assistant to producer
Will French	....	executive in charge of financing
Gregory Allen Gabroy	....	stand-in
Bernadette Gonzales	....	assistant production coordinator
Shane Grady	....	stand-in
Shane Grady	....	stand-in: Sam Shepard
Bill Grantham	....	finance legal
Daphne A. Guichard	....	on-set medic
Mustafa Harris	....	key set production assistant
Elias Heartnet	....	production assistant
Andre Herrera	....	production assistant
Kim Ju	....	second assistant accountant
Chris Kibler	....	second assistant accountant
Andrew Kim	....	production staff
Stephen Kinigopoulos	....	production assistant
Iran Kuykendall	....	key set production assistant
John Landers	....	key craft service
Liz Landers	....	key craft service
Larissa Martinez	....	accounting assistant
Wayne Douglas Morgan	....	stand-in: Slaine
Kimberly Murphy	....	assistant locations manager
Christina Oh	....	assistant: Dede Gardner
Christopher J. Quackenbush	....	location assistant
Stephen Roberts	....	executive in charge of financing
Ryan Robison	....	production assistant
Brett Roedel	....	stand-in
Wes Rossi	....	assistant location manager
Maritza Sanchez	....	additional production assistant
Gregory Santoro	....	production assistant
Mark S. Schneider	....	production legal services (as Mark Schneider, Esq.)
Tim Sigur	....	production assistant
Diane Slattery	....	unit publicist
Aaron J. Stone	....	basecamp production assistant
Adam M. Stone	....	product placement coordinator
Cat Stone	....	product placement coordinator
Philip J. Strina	....	business affairs: Inferno
Shelley Tassin	....	assistant: Andrew Dominik
Spencer Taylor	....	additional set production assistant
Niraj Trivedi	....	production assistant
Ryder Washburn	....	armorer
Jonathan Wester	....	stand-in
Melissa Wiseman	....	assistant accountant

Thanks
Bella Heathcote	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Plan B Entertainment
• 1984 Private Defense Contractors (in association with)
• Annapurna Pictures
• Chockstone Pictures
• Inferno Entertainment

Distributors

• Alfa Films (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Alliance Films (2012) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2012) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2013) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2012) (UK) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2012) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2012) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Innoform Media (2013) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2012) (Canada) (theatrical)
• MediaPro Distribution (2012) (Romania) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Presidio (2013) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Showbox/Mediaplex (2012) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Viva Films (2012) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Wild Bunch Germany (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2012) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Audio Visual Entertainment (2012) (Greece) (DVD) (blu-ray)
• Cinemax (2012) (Russia) (all media) (CIS + Baltics)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2012) (Spain) (all media)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2013) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2013) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Fundamental Films (2012) (China) (all media)
• Golden Scene (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Golden Scene (2013) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Inferno Distribution (2012) (worldwide) (all media)
• Midget Entertainment (2012) (Denmark) (all media)
• Noble Entertainment (2013) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Noble Entertainment (2013) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2013) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2013) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Weinstein Company, The (2012) (USA) (all media)

Special Effects

• Tinsley Studio (special prosthetic make-up effects)
• Wildfire Visual Effects

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera car
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  hydrascope telescoping crane arm
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  stabilized remote camera systems
• Cineworks Digital Studios  HD dailies telecine transfer
• Cineworks Digital Studios  film laboratory and dailies telecine
• Cogans Film Holdings  copyright holder
• Comerica Entertainment Group  production financing
• Costa Abrams & Coate, Trial & Transactional Attorneys  production legal
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• EFilm  digital intermediate services (as EFilm DeLuxe)
• EMS Payroll  extras payroll services
• Film Production Capital  tax credit financing
• Hollywood Trucks  entertainment transportation
• Inferno Distribution  funding
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  star trailers
• Louisiana Entertainment  state film office
• Paskal Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Pivotal Post  Avid HD editing equipment
• Scarlet Letters  main and end titles
• Second Line Stages  production offices
• Silver Screen Supply  portable power systems and cables
• Silver Screen Supply  production supplies
• Southern Costume Company  costumes and wardrobe
• Stone Management  product placement
• Wildfire Studios  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

"Jackie Cogan" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual references, pervasive language, and some drug use

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Datasat

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #47542) | Australia:MA15+ | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Netherlands:16 | India:A | Norway:15 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:16 | Philippines:R-16 | Japan:R15+ | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Claiborne Avenue Bridge, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Plan B Entertainment

Trivia:

Zoe Saldana was considered for a role.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bar scene with Jackie and Mickey, the drinks on the table seem to be constantly changing. The levels in the glasses change, the number of glasses on the table change and the arrangement of the glasses change.

Quotes:

Jackie Cogan:Next he'll be telling us we're a community,

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Projector: Killing Them Softly (#2.38)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Heroin

Solid, Hero-less, Unsentimental Crime Movie

This movie was done in a style that was quite unique from your standard issue shoot 'em up or Scorsese gangster movie in a number of ways I found refreshing. It slowed down the pace of dialogue scenes to a relatable and believable level, made the violence far more realistic, and didn't overdo the music. Those who can't handle too much, or too realistic of violence won't like this movie.

Some might feel the dialogue makes the movie drag just a bit, but if you like realistic filmmaking, they've made it feel as if you're sitting in on actual conversations. The scenes and cuts are long but are livened up with the fairly constant scummy-ness of the characters. James Gandolfini seemed to prattle on a little too much but I suppose that was the point.

The violence can be summed up as unsentimental; much of it can be defined by the difficult achievement of not falling into played out Hollywood clichés. There are no heros in this movie as the director doesn't use cheap tricks, like voiceovers, disproportionate screen time, or happy music to convince you that one criminal is worth rooting for over the others. There is no glorification or demonization of violence, as it is depicted without the influence of music, and the audience can decide for themselves about what is being shown. There are no Schwartzenegger-style shoot outs, as the violence is usually sudden but brutal and loud. Every gunshot is closer to being as loud as real life, so you get a little jolt with every shot like being at a gun range.

The use of music is also played down and important in making both the violence and dialogue distinct. There is some music which gives the movie some energy, but overall far less than the average Hollywood film. This adds an element of suspense as the music doesn't give away what is about to happen in every scene (like a movie with ominous music when something bad is about to happen, etc.). The lack of music also allows the audience a semblance of neutrality in what they are observing; characters are allowed to be likable without being good.

This is the sort of movie you could expect if the hero was removed and you only had the villains and thugs left over--it is far less boring.