Ben Kingsley (adopting a bizarre pseudo-Russian/Italian accent) stars as Frank, a moody alcoholic mob assassin based in Buffalo, NY. When he botches a hit after a bender, Frank is dispatched to San Francisco by his crime “family” to sober up and sort himself out. Along the way he pursues a tentative romance with TV ad sales executive Laurel (Tea Leoni) and navel-gazes his way back into the business with the help of his AA sponsor (Luke Wilson).
What the script lacks in originality (anyone who’s seen Grosse Point Blank will likely figure out the ending of this film within the first twenty minutes) it makes up for in low-key black humor and snappy bon mots between Frank and relationship-fatigued Laurel. Despite the accent, Kingsley chooses to underplay his role, and Dahl allows Frank and Laurel’s scenes to play out with an understated sexual chemistry.
“Understated” is definitely the key word here. Supporting characters that would veer wildly into the realm of stereotypes in other films (gay tollbooth agent! sassy black female funeral director!) are approached with a deadpan wit that keeps them a step away from self-parody.
Even as the film moves into its anticipated third act, Dahl keeps the film’s focus on the characters’ mildly bemused reactions to the events that surround them. A wise choice, considering the script’s disjointed collection of subplots that covers ethnic mob wars, self-actualization, and family loyalty, among other things.
Crime comedies are a mainstay subgenre in independent film, especially since the mid-’90s, and You Kill Me certainly offers nothing new to the crime comedy genus. Still, it’s a fun and unconventional date movie as well as a nice bit of counter-programming against the big-budget summer film extravaganzas of 2007.
– Keidra Chaney
You Kill Me
Director: John Dahl
92 Minutes, IFC Films
www.youkillmethefilm.com
Opened 6/22/2007 in limited nationwide release