Killing Them Softly is a 2012 film by Australian writer and director Andrew Dominik, based on the 1974 novel Cogan’s Trade by Boston crime novelist George V. Higgins. The film is set in New England during the 2008 financial crisis and Presidential election. Killing Them Softly follows a hitman named Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), who is tasked by an unspecified criminal enterprise to kill a group of thieves that robbed an illegal poker game.
New England is an often idealized part of the American nation. It is typically viewed as a wealthy, cultured, or snobbish, place, the home of Harvard, Yale, Martha’s Vineyard and Newport manors. However, as one goes outside of the wealthy areas of the state, New England shows itself to be a far more haunting place. Many smaller areas of the region suffer from heavy amounts of urban decay. This is particularly evident in smaller cities like Springfield and Waterbury, cities that were dependent on industries that had left long ago. Violent crime, drug addiction, ruinous architecture, etc. are all commonplace throughout the post-industrial Northeast. In this regard, KIlling Them Softly is true to its setting. The opening shot of the film follows the camera through a trash strewn alleyway, with a speech by Barack Obama spliced together with dissonant music and flashing title cards. The shot further follows Frankie, one of the card game robbers, walking down a street with decrepit and worn-down buildings, a site common to any resident of a post-industrial city/region, as many previously occupied buildings where abandoned and left to rot following the post-war economic downturn and white flight demographic shift. In a later shot, Frankie is seen meeting Russell, an Australian heroin addict and fellow thief, where both men stand outside of decaying buildings and abandoned lots. Frankie and Russell themselves seem to embody urban decay. Both men wear cheap, fraying and dirty clothing, and have unkempt physical appearances. Russell almost always appears sweaty, dirty, and unshaven, with greasy uncut hair. Frankie is in somewhat better shape, but also appears unshaven and with generally poor personal grooming. Both men are reported to have “smelled” by Ray Liotta’s Markie Trattman, the owner of the card game that was robbed. Further, when Trattman is violently interrogated, the two hoods that beat and question him also hold ungroomed appearances, with longer unstyled hair and scraggly beards. The various locales of the film emphasize this further. The illegal card games are seen taking place in some kind of warehouse (during the Markie Trattman robbery flashback) and in a back room or kitchen (during the main robbery). When Russell reveals that Frankie, Johnny “Squirrell” Amatto, and himself have contracts out on them, Frankie and Russell are seen drinking/shooting heroin in an abandoned building, with fraying walls and broken windows.
Coincidental with the theme of urban decay in this film is the demystification of the gangster film genre. This is especially poignant because several actors in this film, including James Gandolfini, Vincent Curatola, and Ray Liotta, have had major roles in high profile gangster movies and television shows. Contrast James Gandolfini’s previous role as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos with his role as Mickey in this film. Tony Soprano, whilst suffering from some mental ailments, is a brutal yet charismatic, confident, and very capable leader and gangster. Numerous times Tony Soprano has proven himself skilled in logistics, planning, finance, and even physical violence and intimidation. In Killing Them Softly, while Mickey seems to have a fearsome reputation, when he is shown to the audience, he has deteriorated into a depressive alcoholic, whose life seems to be on the border of collapse. He spends most of his time either complaining about his impending divorce, looming prison sentence, or reminiscing about various other jobs and prostitutes he has visited. Mickey further sours his mystique by spending three days binge drinking and whoring, rather than working to kill the person he is supposed to kill. In the end, Jackie Cogan is forced to call the police on Mickey, as he has become a liability. We can see a similar occurrence with Ray Liotta’s Markie Trattman, as compared to his prior role as Henry Hill in Goodfellas. Despite his flaws, including addiction and infidelity, Henry Hill is shown to be a capable businessman and mafia associate. He ingratiates himself with Paulie Cicero, the capo of a Lucchese crime family crew, and becomes friendly with several other skilled gangsters, including Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito. Henry also successfully participates in high profile robberies, including the Lufthansa and Air France heists, and sets up a successful cocaine trafficking business, despite having to go around the Mafia for that. Throughout the movie, Henry Hill is shown to be charming, tough, and loyal. It is only towards the very end of the film that Henry betrays his values and his friends, giving them up to the government in exchange for immunity. Contrast that with the character of Markie Trattman. Although Trattman seems to be a trusted associate and competent administrator of the illegal card games, he is also shown to be duplicitous and of a weaker constitution. Previous to the events of the film, Trattman arranges the robbery of his own card game, feigning ignorance when he is later confronted, and eventually revealing his involvement. Despite suffering no consequences initially, after the second robbery, which Trattman inspired, he is beaten severely and later killed. During this beating, rather than invoking the typical defiance or stoicism that is associated with professional criminals, Markie cries, begs, vomits, and whimpers, putting up a visually distressing and quite pathetic display, at least for a purported gangster. Later, Markie complains to the higher ups about his condition, going against the stereotypical “omerta” quality.
Several other aspects of this film subvert or flip the gangster genre. Most of the characters of this film are notably reluctant to fill their role as gangsters. Jackie Cogan, the most able and intimidating character in the film, doesn’t seem particularly eager to carry out his work. He remarks to the Driver, the unassuming liaison to the mob hiring Cogan, that he prefers to kill his targets “softly”, rather, from a distance and by surprise. Co,[are this to Casino, Goodfellas, or The Sopranos, where enforcers and hitmen often revel in the violence they commit, or at the very least, are unaffected. Barry and Steve, the mobsters that beat Markie Trattman after the second robbery, are also reluctant to do their job, remarking to themselves that they hope Trattman doesn't make it hard on them, and speak remarkably gently to him during the interrogation. The Driver himself, who takes the appearance of a middle class professional, is hesitant as well, attempting to talk Cogan out of killing Markie Trattman, before eventually relenting due to the damage it could do to the organization’s reputation. In addition, most of the scenery and backgrounds of the film lack the flash and glamor of other movies. In Casino, for example, the Tangiers casino, which is owned and operated by the Chicago and mother Midwestern Mafia families, takes on an almost regal quality. Both staff and patrons are dressed professionally, the games run smoothly and without issue, and Ace Rothstein ensures the standards of the hotel are held up to a borderline military standard. In Killing Them Softly, however, the poker games are held in old warehouses and hidden rooms, and there is no staff or entertainment in sight. Furthermore, the Squirrel is seen to run a failing dry cleaning business, and is desperate enough to attempt a suicidal caper. Contrast this with the fronts in The Sopranos, with strip clubs, nice restaurants, and garbage removal businesses serving as profitable legal business fronts.
All in all, Killing Them Softly provides a unique and well-made view into not only the criminal underworld, but into the post-industrial and financially ruined American Northeast. This film can be viewed not only as a commentary on contemporary American society and politics, but also on the gangster film as a well-established genre. By removing the slickness and glamor from the world of the criminal underbelly, one is provided with a tragic and decrepit vision of an America many would wish to gloss over or unduly romanticize. I highly recommended watching the film, Killing Them Softly.
I always found Pitt too pretty to be taken seriously in these roles, but he was far more believable as an Irish Gypsy than say Dicaprio is doing his Southie tough guy dialect. No matter how good an actor he is I just don't see him as a tough guy. Johnny Depp can transcend his pretty boy features and was brilliant as Whitey Bulger. I'm going to dl this now and give it a go. Thanks for the recommendations. 👍🏼
Great writeup on one of my favorite movies. The darkness of this thing was striking but you described it perfectly, which I couldn't really do. I really liked the Jesse James movie too. But this one is so entertaining, despite the fact that there's no one to root for, nothing but decay everywhere you look. Great post.