Killer Joe (2011)
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A desperate drug dealer and his dimwitted father conspire with a corrupt police officer to murder a woman for her life insurance policy.
The story
In West Dallas, 22-year-old drug dealer Chris Smith is desperate to pay a debt to a supplier after his mother steals his cocaine. He approaches his dimwitted father, Ansel, with a plan to kill Chris's mother, Adele, to collect on a $50,000 life insurance policy. They agree to split the proceeds with Chris's sister, Dottie, and Ansel's wife, Sharla. To carry out the hit, Chris arranges a meeting with Joe Cooper, a police detective who moonlights as a contract killer. However, the plan faces immediate hurdles when Joe demands a significant advance payment.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In West Dallas, drug dealer Chris Smith seeks to kill his mother, Adele, to claim a $50,000 life insurance policy. He enlists his father Ansel, his sister Dottie, and Ansel's wife Sharla. They hire Joe Cooper, a corrupt police detective and contract killer. Joe demands a $25,000 retainer but agrees to take Dottie as a 'retainer' until the money arrives. Despite Chris's later hesitation, Joe kills Adele and burns the body. The family then discovers the insurance beneficiary is actually Adele's boyfriend, Rex, who had tricked Chris into the scheme. Joe then kidnaps Dottie and holds her hostage, eventually forcing Sharla to admit she knew the policy was actually for $100,000. Joe reveals incriminating photos of Sharla's affair with Rex and threatens the family. A violent confrontation ensues: Sharla stabs Chris, and Joe beats him. Dottie recovers a gun and kills Chris, seriously wounding Ansel. The film ends as Dottie, claiming she is pregnant, points the gun at Joe.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- William Friedkin
- Writers
- Tracy Letts · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Matthew McConaughey · Killer Joe; Emile Hirsch · Chris Smith; Juno Temple · Dottie Smith; Thomas Haden Church · Ansel Smith; Gina Gershon · Sharla Smith; Marc Macaulay · Digger Soames
- Genres
- black comedy; crime; independent; Southern Gothic
- Themes
- dysfunctional families; contract killing; greed
- Tone and mood
- black comedy; Southern Gothic; kinetic
- Premise and plot tags
- independent; crime thriller; exploitation; neo-noir
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1993 play of the same name
- Content notes
- violence; sexuality
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with Metacritic assigning it a score of 62 out of 100. It was described as a thrilling black comedy with a kinetic visual style that emphasizes narrative momentum.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Independent Film · Saturn Awards · Winner; Best Actor · Saturn Awards · Winner; Best Director · Saturn Awards · Nominated; Best Supporting Actress · Saturn Awards · Nominated; Best Writing · Saturn Awards · Nominated; Special Honorary Award · Austin Film Critics Association · Winner; Best Supporting Actress · Toronto Film Critics Association · Winner; Golden Mouse · Venice International Film Festival · Winner
- Production trivia
- It is one of the final films directed by William Friedkin.; The film was released in only 75 theaters nationwide.; The film received an NC-17 rating from the MPAA for 'graphic disturbing content involving violence and sexuality, and a scene of brutality.'
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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