Iffy for 15+
Dark hit man comedy mixes violence and humor.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this dark comedy about a hit man features jokes about death, murder, and extreme violence. The main character's work entails shooting, throttling, and knifing victims, and a "war" between two gangster families leads to shoot-outs with loud weapons. The protagonist, who's an alcoholic, spends time in AA meetings, where discussions range from absurd to tragic to comic. Characters also smoke, drink, and use plenty of foul language. Luke Wilson co-stars, but this isn't a lighthearted movie.
- Families can talk about how movies get viewers to feel empathy for characters like Frank who commit crimes for a living. Would you feel the same way about a real-life hit man? What's the difference? Is it OK to make light of killing and violence? Families can also discuss Frank's various afflictions. How might his work make him depressed? How do Frank and Laurel end up being the film's "moral center," compared to Frank's associates, who are more clearly mean, greedy, and vengeful?
What to watch for
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Violence: Lots of it, ranging from bloody to comic and back. Shooting with handguns and shotguns repeatedly produces bloody corpses (some multi-gun shootouts, some one-on-one battles); Frank's job at a funeral home has him working on corpses daily; ironic "romantic montage" has Frank teach Laurel how to assassinate with a knife (they practice on a watermelon); minor but loud car crash by drunk driver.
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Sex: Flirting between Laurel and Frank; a woman appears briefly in a bikini; several discussions of Tom's homosexuality and someone's AIDS test; some mild kissing; Frank appears in his underwear.
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Language: Multiple uses of "f--k," plus other colorful hitman/gangster language, including "bitch," "s--t," "damn," "a--hole," "douchebag," "dick," "bastard," "c--k," and "c--ksucker."
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Consumerism: Mention of Sony.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: The protagonist is an alcoholic, so drinking and dealing with it are thematic: He appears dead-drunk at the start, attends AA meetings (which include discussions of other disorders, including eating), relapses (elaborate drinking with a stereotypical group of Irish family members), then recovers. Scenes set in bars. Frequent cigarette smoking.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
You Kill Me by BK Blogger
It's an odd movie. Ben Kingsley is a hit man for his Polish mob family in Buffalo, NY. But, it's Ben Kingsley, so why not? It was playing at our mall theater so on a Sunday afternoon we didn't have to deal with traffic and you know, it was fun! Tea Leoni was great as well. It was the kind of movie from the IFC that you want to support and we did along with a small but filled theater. You know, it's a winner for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Far more satisfying than the usual summer blockbusters. A thumb up for me even though Frank was a killer, he was a person with interesting issues.
5
Killing Me Softly by butchy
You Kill Me is a fun movie with a quirky side and a sentimental side, but it avoids being cliche or corny. Ben Kingsley is so understated at first, you wonder if he's ever going to say more than two words. When he does speak, especially in his AA meetings, he cracks you up without breaking a sweat. And wait 'til you see Bill Pullman, nice to see him playing a character who is a bit twisted. This movie had a little romance, a little action, a little message, and lots of laughs. I really enjoyed it and would reccomend it highly.
3
Quirky little movie by diztrek
I went to see this movie mainly because my husband wanted to see it but it ended up being more enjoyable than I thought it would. I would not have gone to see on my own and would probably wait to see this on when it came on video/cd rental. Ben Kingsly is always interesting to watch but the Tea Leoni character was pretty implausable as not only his love interest but as a person that would happily go along with his profession to the point of helping him!! (I won't give away anything) There were a few funny moments and lines and the concept that love conquers all rang clear throughout. Nice to see it was partially made in San Francisco!
4
Fun Story w/ Great Acting by rayte_the_movies
Dark comedy can be very hit or miss for me, but I thought this movie was spot-on in tone. Ben Kingley was so likeable in the role, you can almost believe that the people he meets are so accepting of his occupation. I have a small problem with Tea Leoni playing this character who feels so alone in her life. She's stunningly beautiful, and seems to have a great personality. What's the problem? That being said, she was great. And it may be my favorite role for Luke Wilson.
4
Great Setup Weak Payoff by jjb12345
The entire idea of the movie is wonderful, a hit man with a drinking problem. The difficulty is that the narrative peters out and the resolution is so-what.
5
Killer by doughagan
Great screenplay and cool cast adding up to a killer comedy. Quirky and wry humor throughout. Ben and Tea aren't the most likely couple, but the writing makes it all work. Gotta check this one out.