Based on the novel by Jim Thompson, Casey Affleck ('Gone Baby Gone') stars as Lou Ford, a small-town cop in Texas who becomes tangled in a web of extortion and murder that places him at the center. As the situations worsen and the body count rises, the mask of sanity slips away from Lou, revealing him as the manipulative psychopath he truly is.
Michael Winterbottom, who has unfortunately stayed under the radar in the film industry for his twenty-year directing career, has always had a knack for the wicked side of cinema. He does it expertly well by portraying nothing but realism and allowing the darkness within man to radiate naturally. He does it again here with 'The Killer Inside Me,' which takes the typical murder-in-a-small-town story and turns it upside down by flipping the roles of all the characters into something much more dangerous. At the center of the story is Lou Ford, whose calm demeanor causes some of the most disturbing murder scenes in recent memory. Even when brutally killing those around him, Lou barely winces. The portrayal by Casey Affleck, who has thankfully risen out of the shadow of his brother Ben, was fantastic and truly made the film.
As the film progresses, it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to watch. The murders are unflinchingly filmed by Winterbottom, invading the violence without forgiveness in the slightest. His portrayal of the many, many sex scenes (some of which are quite violent themselves as well) is just as candid. For this reason, the squeamish & prudish should do their best to shy away if no offense is desired.
Overall, 'The Killer Inside Me' is a compelling & shocking crime thriller with a wonderful performance by Casey Affleck as the demented sheriff. There are some minour issues throughout that may be a problem for some viewers, but hopefully nothing that will completely distract from the all-around quality.
Final Verdict: 7.5/10.
-AP3-
Michael Winterbottom, who has unfortunately stayed under the radar in the film industry for his twenty-year directing career, has always had a knack for the wicked side of cinema. He does it expertly well by portraying nothing but realism and allowing the darkness within man to radiate naturally. He does it again here with 'The Killer Inside Me,' which takes the typical murder-in-a-small-town story and turns it upside down by flipping the roles of all the characters into something much more dangerous. At the center of the story is Lou Ford, whose calm demeanor causes some of the most disturbing murder scenes in recent memory. Even when brutally killing those around him, Lou barely winces. The portrayal by Casey Affleck, who has thankfully risen out of the shadow of his brother Ben, was fantastic and truly made the film.
As the film progresses, it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to watch. The murders are unflinchingly filmed by Winterbottom, invading the violence without forgiveness in the slightest. His portrayal of the many, many sex scenes (some of which are quite violent themselves as well) is just as candid. For this reason, the squeamish & prudish should do their best to shy away if no offense is desired.
Overall, 'The Killer Inside Me' is a compelling & shocking crime thriller with a wonderful performance by Casey Affleck as the demented sheriff. There are some minour issues throughout that may be a problem for some viewers, but hopefully nothing that will completely distract from the all-around quality.
Final Verdict: 7.5/10.
-AP3-