The story follows Lou Ford, hauntingly portrayed by Casey Affleck. Lou is a deputy sheriff in a small west Texas town. He is sent by Chester Conway, the town big-shot played by Ned Beatty, to run a whore out of town(Jessica Alba) with whom his son has fallen in love with. When Lou falls for the whore himself, the tangled web of sex and murder begins.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom, who some of you may know from his cult hit "24 Hour Party People", this thriller noir is told in first person, in such a matter of fact way that it almost feels surreal. The first time I was exposed to Case Affleck, as the annoying kid at the booth in Chasing Amy, never would I have thought that Ben's nerdy looking little brother would turn into the actor that he has. After his performance in "Gone Baby Gone", and now this, I'll purposefully seek out any picture that he is involved in from hereon out. Without spoiling too much, each time he commits an unspeakable crime, it's made that much more effective, both by Affleck's performance, and for just the sheer fact that it wasn't expected.
The Killer Inside Me is not a horror film, so there's not much "gore" to speak about. That being said, the type of violence in this film is highly disturbing. Heinous acts of highly brutal violence against women make this a hard film to watch. If this type of thing bothers you, be warned. I'm not talking about rape, or anything like that, just pure vicious violence. However, if you're looking for a slasher film, you've come to the wrong place.
While the violence has harrowing, the film still manages to drip sexuality. The sex scenes in this movie are absolutely sticky hot. With eye candy such as Jessica Alba, and Kate Hudson, it's hard not to stand at attention. Even the sex scenes are riddled with violence, but the way that it plays out never comes across as sexually violent, just consenting adults having amazingly hot, rough sex. While this is the most of Jessica Alba's body I've ever seen in a film, it's still filmed in a way that you can't technically call it a nude scene. In some ways, it's better though.
Some viewers will be turned off by the pacing of the film. But if you like the events in your film to take their time unfolding, then you'll be pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't go as far to say that we're given a lot of character development. It doesn't dwell on any one particular background character's story, but the script is so solid, and the amazing lineup of A-List talent pull their weight, so to speak, so you do feel like you know what each character is about.
Visually the film is stunning. Some amazing cinematography, and a keen eye for detail. Being a period piece, you have to work a little harder to suck the audience in, and WinterBottom did just that. He's managed to create this odd atmosphere that I can't even explain, perhaps a thick sense of dread? Whatever it is, it works. That, combined with the writing, the solid acting, and the overall insanity of the story, I was glued to my seat till the credits rolled.
"The Killer Inside Me" is currently available on-demand via IFC In Theaters. At 6.99, it's well worth the price.I knew nothing about this film going in, and wound up pleasantly surprised. Hopefully, you will be too.
8/10
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