The Killer Inside Me will be forever remembered as the film where Casey Affleck punches Jessica Alba to death. An extremely uncomfortable film from a rather talented director, Michael Winterbottom, has pushed the boundaries of cinema yet again with a hard-boiled film noir with an extreme psycho-sexual edge.
The Killer Inside Me tells the story of Lou Ford (Affleck), a small-town deputy sheriff who finds his murderous instincts boiling over when he becomes embroiled with a local prostitute (Alba). Whilst trying to conceal the murder from his superiors as well as his long time girlfriend (Hudson), how long can Ford keep the crime under wraps before suspicions are raised?
Winterbottom has already been accused of misogyny over his treatment of women within The Killer Inside Me, and if the audience can stomach the full 109 minutes of the film, it’s more than likely the focal issue that will be discussed upon leaving the cinema. Although The Killer Inside Me is undoubtedly a very clever and unique story, it’s detracted by two extremely harrowing scenes of violence that are some of the most brutal ever committed to film. Whilst Winterbottom’s defence is that violence exists, and that it should be truthful and unglamorous, one has to ask – is there any need to make it so protracted, exploitative and extreme in tone?
However violence aside, there’s a lot to recommend here. Not least the extremely strong central performance from Affleck as well as unwaveringly committed performances from Hudson and Alba. However the real star of the show is Winterbottom himself, he’s crafted a dark, brooding story that’s unlike anything else out there at the moment, densely packed and full of clever visual flourishes. Winterbottom is in his element here, shame then, this is not what The Killer Inside Me will be remembered for.
Jonny Dawson
