The Killer Inside Me

Ein unangenehmer, gedankenloser Film, voll von unsympathischen Figuren und einer ekelhaften, selbstzweckmäßigen Gewalt. Ich werde ihm nur wegen der erstklassigen Besetzung und dem Namen des Regisseurs keine bessere Bewertung geben. (19.05.2011)

Casey Affleck’s performance is the only thing worthy of attention in this film. He plays a sadistic asshole who’s controlled in public. He probably was also supposed to look smart, but the problematic script prevented it, unfortunately, and instead of that, he constantly frets unnecessarily over problems, without properly revealing any reasonable motivations. It was impossible to see further than a couple of centimetres below the skin of the characters. (01.09.2010)

The Killer Inside Me versprach mir eine lebhafte Krimiserie in einem schönen Retro-Stetson. Ein Film nach dem Roman des Kult-"Brack"-Autor Jim Thompson, welcher insbesondere das schmeichlerische Aussehen sowie die Stimme von Casey Affleck hervorhebt, welcher die tödliche Studie der Perversion unter dem Schein eines perfekt gechillten Menschen ausgesprochen genießt und Motor des gesamten Films ist, der sich manchmal unter dem Gewicht gewälzter erotischer Szenen und plappernden Dialogen ein wenig verbiegt. Gegen Ende bekommt die exzellente musikalische Dramaturgie, die starke schauspielerische Besetzung und sowie ein nach tabakgetunkter Coen-Geist einer harten Krimigeschichte, einiges zu tun, wobei sich hier Jessica Alba darum bemüht zu schauspielen, anstatt sich auszuziehen und der bis dahin gemäßigte Winterbottom auf feurige B-Filmproprietäten zurückgreift. [MFF KV 2010] (05.07.2010)

Noir (as an otherwise fairly infantile post-theatrical subgenre... well, basically, the 50s) can't be denied one huge credit, and that's as the basis for neonoir. The classic noir plot scheme is no longer enough on its own and is at most only good as a model for parody. However, as a basis it will always be attractive, and thus opens up a heap of possibilities for building on the genre. To do that, The Killer Inside Me goes to the woods. The main character (dude I almost typed hero -)) is also lonely and has the (quite justified) feeling of being alone in enemy territory. However, she deserves it and actually deserves far worse. It's just that she's still the main character that we follow step by step, and the counterparts a.k.a. supporting roles can’t really be empathized with because of their detached cold portrayals of the characters. And then there's the femme fatale (Mortal Kombat femme fatalities would be more appropriate here), in whom the viewer can't identify anything even suggestive of the noir label. So the audience has no view of the plot other than from Lou Ford's position. From him they take the paranoia, the uncertainty, and the irrational view of the world around him. Asking the audience to do that is a risky move, because it requires perspective and focus; in any case, I pretty much snorted. Pity about the music, which delivers some cheerful old school spark at moments of plot gradation and the atmosphere is suddenly gone. But otherwise The Killer Inside Me definitely deserves to be seen. You don't often see such scum. (18.10.2010)