---
title: "Killing Them Softly: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/killing-them-softly/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/killing-them-softly"
critics_score: 65
critics_reviews: 26
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Killing Them Softly (2012): what the critics said

Critics' score 65 from 26 reviews: 15 positive, 7 mixed, 4 negative.

Most critics come down in favour, though few without a caveat. The reviews agree that Brad Pitt’s Cogan, a relaxed and talkative hitman, is the film’s chief asset, with James Gandolfini and Ben Mendelsohn singled out in support. Praise also clusters on the dialogue, much of it carried over from Higgins’s novel, on the gallows humour, and on the brutality of the killings. The robbery sequence comes up more than once as the scene that stays with people.

Where they part is over the politics. Nearly every review, admiring or not, finds the 2008 election backdrop and the crime-equals-capitalism parallels laid on too thick; the disagreement is over how much that spoils things. The spread is wide. The Playlist thinks the themes are fully integrated and admires the film without reservation, while Roger Ebert finds it dismal and joyless, with little humour or suspense, and The Hollywood Reporter says it satisfies as a genre piece but insists on being something more.

## The AV Club — Scott Tobias

Rating B+. 29 November 2012. 

Dominik makes the film's themes of American greed and exceptionalism startlingly explicit, with a standout robbery sequence, but it settles into a portentous conversation piece that makes too much of a show of its own significance.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/killing-them-softly-1798175134)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2012. 

The film is a compelling black comedy about unhappy assassins in hard times, serving as a comment on economic bloodletting. It praises Brad Pitt's terrifically acted performance as the relaxed, talkative hitman Cogan in this cynical take on 2008 America.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/sep/20/killing-them-softly-review)

## The Independent

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 September 2012. 

The critic describes a grippingly toxic and cynical lowlife crime drama with a fine low-key performance from Brad Pitt and a musical ear for sharp dialogue, while highlighting its boot to American capitalism.

[Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/hei-fi/entertainment/pitt-makes-a-hit-as-mob-rules-once-again-8162724.html)

## Time Out — Dave Calhoun

Rating 4/5. 18 April 2012. Festival review. 

The critic praises the film's smart, entertaining take on the source novel with strong performances and gallows humour, while noting it lays on the state-of-the-nation metaphors a bit thick.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/killing-them-softly)

## The Telegraph — Tim Robey

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2012. 

Dominik's bleakly electrifying hit-man thriller is elegantly brutal and tough, with a thick layer of irony and a focus on male terror and the state of the nation. It parcels out Pitt's role with strict economy while delivering an oppressive, bruising take on the source novel.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/9555396/Killing-Them-Softly-review.html)

## Film Comment — Jonathan Robbins

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 

The film is wicked fun with satisfying performances and visceral violence, but its political ambitions connecting the criminal and financial economies do not fully cohere.

[Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/review-killing-them-softly-andrew-dominik/)

## Financial Times — Nigel Andrews

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 September 2012. 

Everyone is out to kill everyone else in this cynical gangster film that implies the US is reckless, violent and naughty like its characters. It highlights Pitt's qualms as a hitman and the film's message that the country is a business first, updated to the 2008 election era with sharp turns from the source novel.

[Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/c9f40b44-0306-11e2-a484-00144feabdc0)

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2012. Festival review. 

The critic calls the film a deliciously stylish hard-boiled crime drama that is bleakly funny and nihilistic, praising its visual flair, smart dialogue and Brad Pitt's commanding presence while noting its reflection of tough times in America.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/killing-them-softly/5042489.article)

## Sight and Sound — Trevor Johnston

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 September 2012. 

The critic finds the film's dialogue-driven crime narrative and strong performances, particularly Brad Pitt's, effective, but faults the overemphatic political messaging and stylistic flourishes for keeping it from true greatness.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-killing-them-softly)

## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 3 December 2012. 

The critic highlights the film's faithful adaptation of Higgins's novel and its unglamorous crime milieu, praising conversations and performances. He notes it honors the source's voice but operates in a world of small-time crooks without masterminds.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/12/03/tough-times)

## Empire — Damon Wise

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 3 September 2012. 

The critic calls it a good, efficient crime thriller lifted by excellent performances, particularly Brad Pitt's, but let down by clunky social commentary and an ordinary script that lacks sharpness.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/killing-softly-2-review/)

## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2012. 

The critic calls out the film's heavy-handed parallels between crime and economic decay but praises Pitt's smooth performance and the brutal yet beautiful violence enhanced by music and cinematography. She notes the strong supporting cast in a gritty noir.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2012-nov-29-la-et-mn-killing-them-softly-review-20121130-story.html)

## Vulture — David Edelstein

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2012. 

Everything springing from the source novel is very fine—grimly amusing then shockingly brutal—but the director veers off course with deep thoughts on the American character that feel like a head-slapper.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2012/11/movie-review-killing-them-softly.html)

## Evening Standard

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2012. 

The critic praises strong performances from Ben Mendelsohn and James Gandolfini, the film's look and the killings, but complains about excessive talk, heavy-handed social commentary and it becoming steadily less enjoyable.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/killing-them-softly-review-8162656.html)

## Radio Times — Damon Wise

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic notes the film's talky, heavy-handed commentary on post-financial crisis America and its failure to innovate on the gangster genre, but highlights strong turns from Brad Pitt and James Gandolfini along with gripping set pieces.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-w58z7w/killing-them-softly/)

## Slant Magazine — Calum Marsh

Rating 2/4. 11 November 2012. 

The film reiterates shopworn ideas about crime and capitalism for a post-Occupy world in a hamfisted way, resulting in a facile genre picture too concerned with looking cool and empty posturing.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/killing-them-softly/)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 28 November 2012. 

The critic finds the film a dismal, dreary series of cruel murders in a joyless cityscape with little humor or suspense. He praises the cast's screen presence but notes the story lacks the romance and tension of better noir films.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/killing-them-softly-2012)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2012. Festival review. 

A juicy, bloody, grimy and profane crime drama that amply satisfies as a deep-dish genre piece but insistently wants to be something more, with strong performances and craft undercut by showy directorial flourishes and overt messaging.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/killing-softly-cannes-review-327519/)

## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff

Rating A. 28 November 2012. 

The critic calls the film a brilliant, uncompromising anti-thriller that seethes with anger at the state of the nation and economy, praising its seamless integration of political themes, ambitious storytelling and powerful performances.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-brilliant-angry-killing-them-softly-is-the-anti-thriller-for-our-times-20121128/)

## HeyUGuys — Lisa Giles-Keddie

Rating 4.5/5. 24 September 2012. 

The critic praises the film's enthralling dialogue-driven scenes, strong ensemble acting from Pitt, Gandolfini and others, and its timely economic themes, calling it a must-see for fans of the crime-gangster genre.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/killing-them-softly-review/)

## Den of Geek — Paul Martinovic

Rating 4/5. 21 September 2012. 

A stunningly well-made and ambitious crime film that overplays its political hand slightly but remains one of the best of the year thanks to strong direction and performances.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/killing-them-softly-review/)

## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael

Rating 4/5. 19 September 2012. 

A dark, devilishly funny guilty-pleasure crime story elevated by mood, humor and strong performances, though the blunt economic moralizing occasionally diverts from the fun.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a406699/killing-them-softly-review-brad-pitt-reunites-with-andrew-dominik/)

## The Skinny — Chris Fyvie

Rating 4/5. 21 September 2012. 

An exhilarating neo-noir with wit, fire, strong performances and gallows humour that examines machismo and economic decline, despite some overt satire and incongruous set-pieces.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/killing-them-softly)

## Paste — Annlee Ellingson

Rating 7.2. 29 November 2012. 

The film delivers sharp, memorable dialogue and stylish violence set against the 2008 election backdrop, reuniting director Andrew Dominik with star Brad Pitt for a bleak crime story. However, its political and economic themes come across as heavy-handed.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/killing-them-softly)

## Eye for Film — David Graham

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2012. 

The critic finds the heavy-handed political and economic messaging patronizing and distracting from the narrative, though acknowledging strong performances and brutal violence, ultimately deeming the film too cold and muddled to fully connect with.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/killing-them-softly-2012-film-review-by-david-graham)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2012. 

The review finds sharp performances, especially James Gandolfini's, and a few strong scenes undermined by the film's relentless hammering of 2008 economic-crisis subtext. It faults the wobbly plotting and overdone political commentary that Dominik fails to integrate effectively.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/killing-them-softly-review-crime-comedy-bludgeons-us-repeatedly-subtext-67206/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/killing-them-softly.md