Review: Killer Joe (2012)

(aka Whisky Tisky Killer Frisky)
Release Date: On DVD & Blu-ray, December 21st.
Country: USA
Written by: Tracy Letts.
Directed by:  William Friedkin.
Starring:  Matthew McConaughey, Juno Temple, Emile Hirsch, Thomas Haden Church and Gina Gershon.

In an odd way, Killer Joe is a love story; sure, it's a creepy love story involving a 15-year-old girl and a sociopathic, murdering cop, but there it is. Amidst the brutality and disturbing nature of this cautionary tale, love blooms.

To be fair, Killer Joe isn't purely a Horror movie, but rather a gritty crime thriller that borders on the horrific. As genre lovers, we have to expand our repertoire past Slasher and ghost stories though, because the descriptor of Horror isn't always cut and dry. If we didn't, we'd miss out on some great flicks.

Plus, this movie contains a scene of chicken wing mouth-rape, so you know what, it counts.

Chris is a white trash drug dealer in deep debt with the (whiskey tango) mob, which prompts him to hatch a brilliant plan to kill his Mama for her insurance money. He and his dim-witted Daddy decide to hire a dirty Texas Lawman named Killer Joe to do the deed, because he's apparently a killer for hire, hence the "killer" part before his first name.

One could also call him "Creeper Joe."

When they realize can't pay Killer Joe as agreed for a job well done, they let him bang the dirty little sister of the family, Dottie, who is like a whisky-tisky version of Lolita. Killer Joe throws a monkey in the wrench when he ends up deciding that he likes Dottie, and decides that maybe he can keep her, as a sort of jail-bait sex slave. Then, everything falls apart...

... everything but her love for Joe, that is.

Needless to say that the shit hits the fan and nobodies plans go the way they are supposed to. Will Chris pay off Joe and escape the evil clutches of the mob? Will Killer Joe find true love with Dottie? Will Honey Boo Boo make a cameo, seeing as how this movie takes place in the same trailer park that she lives in? Far be it from us to spoil things for you, but suffice it to say that the term, "You Betta Redneckognize!" pops up a time or two.

Honey Boo Boo, she ain't.

Killer Joe is a hell of a movie; It's got a great cast playing some truly interesting characters; has a storyline that twists and turns, and maintains interest and tension; and is full of some pretty disturbing visuals. It's also Exorcist Director William Friedkin's first movie since his 2006's mind-fuck, Bug. It's nice to see him back at the helm, as his movies usually tend to entertain and disturb.

It's also nice to see Matthew McConagahghey (spelling his name sucks) in a vicious role like this for a change, instead of some cheesy rom-com or a movie about half-gay male strippers. He really is a much better actor than people give him credit for. He's crazy good here, and although the movie itself was great, he made it far better just for him playing the title role.

Can a movie like this garner McConaughey an Oscar nod? Hmm...

Juno Temple is a hot commodity on the rise, and she's always fun to watch. For a British chick, she does American white trash really well, and here she's exceptional. She and Mr. McConaughey are surrounded by a hell of a supporting cast too, including the always fantastic Thomas Haden Church, who is just sublime here as one of the dumbest people on the planet.

There's just a lot to like about this movie.

America!

What in the hell was with that ending? *SLIGHT SPOILERS* I get that this movie was more towards the Indie/Artistic side of things, but after all of that build up to have the last shot in the movie feel almost... comical, was just a let down to us. The movie stayed true to the stage play on which it was based, but it just felt really odd. Then again, how else could it have ended?

...and, scene.

Again, *SPOILERS ENSUE* here, so beware! Beating a woman senseless and then mouth-raping her with a piece of original recipe chicken (slowly, might I add), then relieving yourself in your pants may be fine for the average psycho/sociopath, but for we the audience, it was really, really hard to endure. Also, you ruined chicken wings for us, Killer Joe. Thanks a lot.

It's only chicken, baby. What are you afraid of?

There's a lot of brutal beating of people about the head, neck, breast and chest in this one. Also, various acts of stabbing and shooting goes down, and none of them are pretty. Are they ever though?  A lesson for us all. There's also a really disturbing scene involving chicken wing fellatio-rape that you have to see to believe. None of us here have eaten chicken since. True story.

There's plenty of white trash nakedness going on here, most of it complements of the sizzle box, Juno Temple. She isn't afraid to get fully naked for the sake of art, and for that, we are thankful. We also get a healthy dose of Matthew McConaughey's ass as well, but we're not really thankful for that, though we're sure some people are (gay guys/chicks.)

Only in Texas.

If you're poor white trash with limited intellect, do not get involved in a murder-for-hire scheme with a cunning psychopath. Also, hot and slutty chicks always live in trailers. Not always, but a lot of the time, anyway.

Also, Juno Temple is a Sex Goddess.

Killer Joe is a gritty Crime Thriller that shows us Matthew McConaughey in a different light; this is his personal version of Patrick Bateman. We would love to see him get some awards recognition for this role, because he's just that good in it. Awards or not, this is one movie that Horror fans will revel in, as long as they aren't expecting something along the lines of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. See this one when it hits home video in December, because we said so. That's usually a really good reason.

A-

Juno Temple is a starlet on the rise, and thankfully for us, the Indie Darling is a Hottie too.