Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Kill Your Friends

  • 2015
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
10K
YOUR RATING
Nicholas Hoult in Kill Your Friends (2015)
Trailer #2 for Kill Your Friends.
Play trailer1:28
5 Videos
18 Photos
Dark ComedyComedyCrimeMusicThriller

An A&R man working at the height of the Britpop music craze goes to extremes in order to find his next hit.An A&R man working at the height of the Britpop music craze goes to extremes in order to find his next hit.An A&R man working at the height of the Britpop music craze goes to extremes in order to find his next hit.

  • Director
    • Owen Harris
  • Writer
    • John Niven
  • Stars
    • Nicholas Hoult
    • Thomas Conroy
    • James Corden
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.0/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Owen Harris
    • Writer
      • John Niven
    • Stars
      • Nicholas Hoult
      • Thomas Conroy
      • James Corden
    • 44User reviews
    • 102Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos5

    Official Trailer #2
    Trailer 1:28
    Official Trailer #2
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:01
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:01
    Official Trailer
    Kill Your Friends: The Lazies Gig
    Clip 1:56
    Kill Your Friends: The Lazies Gig
    Kill Your Friends: Indie Kids
    Clip 3:27
    Kill Your Friends: Indie Kids
    Kill Your Friends: Nichols Hoult Q & A
    Featurette 5:37
    Kill Your Friends: Nichols Hoult Q & A

    Photos17

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 11
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Nicholas Hoult
    Nicholas Hoult
    • Steven Stelfox
    Thomas Conroy
    • Clubber
    • (uncredited)
    James Corden
    James Corden
    • Roger Waters
    Georgia King
    Georgia King
    • Rebecca
    Craig Roberts
    Craig Roberts
    • Darren
    Jim Piddock
    Jim Piddock
    • Derek Sommers
    Joseph Mawle
    Joseph Mawle
    • James Trellick
    Dustin Demri-Burns
    Dustin Demri-Burns
    • David Schnieder
    Damien Molony
    Damien Molony
    • Ross
    Bronson Webb
    Bronson Webb
    • Rob Hasting
    Ella Smith
    Ella Smith
    • Nikki
    Rosanna Hoult
    • Katy
    Ed Skrein
    Ed Skrein
    • Rent
    Tom Riley
    Tom Riley
    • Parker Hall
    Kurt Egyiawan
    Kurt Egyiawan
    • Tim
    Hugh Skinner
    Hugh Skinner
    • John
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    • Rudi
    Alex Gillison
    • Gunter
    • (as Alexander Gillison)
    • Director
      • Owen Harris
    • Writer
      • John Niven
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews44

    6.010.2K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7kieranbattams

    Patrick Bateman and the Music Industry

    I did not know a great deal about Kill Your Friends, didn't even say a trailer. If you are planning to see this movie then don't because what results is a shocking lock into the life of a failing music producer and the lengths he will take to become a success in a harsh industry. A pitch black comedy with a story that was actually a lot more interesting than it sounds.

    Nicolas Hoult takes on the lead role, which was the first thing that worried me. The guy is a brilliant actor and in my opinion was the definitive standout as Nux in this summer's Mad Max Fury Road, but its very rare, if ever that we see him in a lead role. In this film, he takes the role and makes it his own which turns out is a very good thing because he made this movie about half of what was enjoyable. From the title you know that this guy is on the edge and could snap at any moment and Hoult makes this so believable. We also get a smaller role from a drugged up James Corden which felt so weird but so right. Every scene we see him in he is snorting cocaine and doing things his regular persona on TV wouldn't dream of. So props to Corden for managing to actually pull this off.

    My absolute favourite thing about this movie however, is the soundtrack. We open with Blur's Beetlebum and if you know me you'll know im a real sucker for Britpop so i was happy to hear this and other artists i grew up with throughout including Oasis. The film explores different types of music perfectly,so i can say i am satisfied with that aspect. The black comedy aspect was slightly in your face at times with a police officer character in particular who is so dumb that you just question why he is even on this case, but then you figure out sort of why he is oblivious to this, whether or not intentional by the filmmakers.

    Overall, a good British film which deserves more attention than it is getting. I can see where negative reviews may come from especially since the graphic violence sort of comes at you out of nowhere at first. But i recommend seeing this one, don't listen to the terrible reviews and judge for yourself.
    8sa_sr

    Not as black as the book

    People who have written bad, simple minded reviews have no idea what they are talking about.

    The book is the one book I couldn't take reading, it's a lot more cynical and black, but the style is very cool, as all books by Nivel. They are fast, they are black, they are pop literature. So, that this movie is based on a contemporary bestseller known for it's incredible dark style should be a clue.

    Second - the actors are such a cool choice, not only the lead character, but also Moritz Bleitreu, e. g. and others. Look them up, if you don't know any European actors.

    Third - music choices were great! Partly a kind of parody on that British happy-happy-jump-jump Techno _from the 90ies_ but also very fitting: The Prodigy and others from that time. Lots and lots of other very funny parodies, loved the girl band with the strings.

    4. Worcaholism and Drug use in London, career pressure, etc. are not unrealistic at all, nothing unusual shown, people kicking others out, going through their things, etc. (well I hope the murders are not normal).

    Finally - British Pop Culture, and British Black Comedy. This should have given the final clue. Don't watch it if you don't like the genre.
    6subxerogravity

    Great satire on the music industry.

    I like Nicholas Hoult enough to check out the movie when I saw the poster at my local theater, plus I became really found of music around the time period the movie takes place in and was a fan of the Britpop thing going on at the time. Also, this is the second time I've seen Hoult do something that was not Superhero or genre (the first being Dark Places, starring Charlize Theron).

    Although the title did make it seem like it may be a horror movie. In a way. it is, especially if you seen American Psycho.

    Hoult plays a brutally honesty (which makes him very unlikeable) A&R rep for a record label, who's trying to climb to the top of the ladder, at the same time trying to find the next Britpop sensation. He falls under all the clichés of a man trying to reach the top, coping with stress with sex and drugs, all the while trying to be the cool guy in the room. Then we discover how far he will go to climb up that ladder to success, of which the term back stabbing does not fully explain.

    It's brilliant as a satire on the music industry as a whole during that time. They go over the bubblegum pop machine that is boy bands and pretentiousness of bands that want to be considered indi, it even pokes fun of the techno scene that was developing and the moment when Hip hop was about to dominate. No stone is left unturn making it a hard hitting poke at whatever category you fit in and really hopes you have a good sense of humor about it.

    Holt plays the villainous protagonist that has become popular on TV (like Tony Sprano and Walter White). It's something different than the Awkward but good looking kid he plays in a lot of his movies and he handles that fact that not everyone will fancy his character and keeps it completely true to form.

    For everyone who remembers the late 90s and loves stories on the music industry.
    7deloudelouvain

    Entertaining enough to me

    The movie is all about Steven Stefox (played by Nicholas Hoult), a guy working in the music industry, as a guy that is supposed to discover and sign new bands. He's not very good at his job, so he tries other ways to achieve his goals. I'm not sure why it's also categorized as a comedy because you won't laugh one bit. It's more a crime story with a lot of drugs and a narrating voice describing what to do to make it in the music industry. It's entertaining to watch. Steven is a narcissistic person, addicted to fancy drugs, and doing everything it takes to make it to the top. There are no likable characters in the movie but that's not the point. They are all career driven and very egoistic. Since it is about the music industry you have a lot of tunes, some good ones but also bad ones. It's not a bad movie even though I saw better similar ones.
    6masonsaul

    Good but needed more energy

    Despite only loosely living up to the title, Kill Your Friends is a darkly funny and very twisted look at the high stakes world of music management that desperately wants to be American Psycho but lacks the energy and darkness to fully achieve those lofty ambitions. It's still able to sustain itself on some good jokes interspersed throughout and the overall cynical nature, culminating in a satisfyingly twisted ending.

    Nicholas Hoult doesn't always feel like the best choice for this material however, he is fully committed to this irredeemable character so he can move past those early growing pains. He's ambitious to the point of being ruthless and conceals his true villainy under a false layer of incompetence. Even with a fairly strong supporting cast of characters it's still all resting on his central performance to keep things going.

    Owen Harris' competent yet bland direction weirdly lacks the necessary manic energy outside of some brief glimpses into Hoult's darkest thoughts. For a film that spends so much time in clubs and drug fueled parties, its lowered visual energy becomes kinda distracting, counterbalanced by the tone never wavering. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tom Holkenborg's score and the soundtrack really understood the assignment.

    More like this

    Bunny and the Bull
    6.6
    Bunny and the Bull
    Young Ones
    5.8
    Young Ones
    Rule Number Three
    6.9
    Rule Number Three
    The Warrior's Way
    6.2
    The Warrior's Way
    Marching Powder
    5.5
    Marching Powder
    The Revenant
    6.3
    The Revenant
    Sayonara
    7.0
    Sayonara
    Rebel in the Rye
    6.7
    Rebel in the Rye
    Reign of Assassins
    6.8
    Reign of Assassins
    Honeymoon in Vegas
    5.9
    Honeymoon in Vegas
    Wish I Was Here
    6.6
    Wish I Was Here
    Coming Down the Mountain
    7.2
    Coming Down the Mountain

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film takes place in 90s, a 'Cool Britannia' era where Britpop music has dominated the industry. Most of the songs in official soundtrack album feature real-life stars at the moment such as 'Oasis', Blur and Radiohead.
    • Goofs
      The film is set in 1997. Stelfox is standing outside the 'Eventim Apollo' (A.K.A. The Hammersmith Odeon). A sign on the building can be seen saying Eventim Apollo, when this film is set the venue was called 'Hammersmith Apollo' it has changed hands several times and did not become the Eventim Apollo until 7th of September 2013.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      James Trellick: What is the meaning of life?

      Darren: [as Steven is about to answer] To drive your enemies before you and hear the lamentations of their women.

    • Crazy credits
      In the fine print at the end of the credits, it says "No animals or A&R persons were harmed in the making of this film."
    • Connections
      Featured in Film '72: Episode #44.8 (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Beetlebum
      Written by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree

      Performed by Blur

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ17

    • How long is Kill Your Friends?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 1, 2016 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Убий своїх друзів
    • Filming locations
      • Black Hangar Studios, Hampshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Unigram
      • Altitude Film Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $533,147
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Nicholas Hoult in Kill Your Friends (2015)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Kill Your Friends (2015) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.