Film Review: Killer Joe (18) (U.S.A. 2011) (Director: William Friedkin), Saturday 21.07.2012 20:45, Filmhouse Cinema Screen One, Edinburgh

I had reservations about going to see this, as in the past I have always been put off watching a film with Matthew McConaughey in it, as have found him a repellent presence. I suspect that I was turned by having seen William Friedkin the night before this premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival doing a Q&A after a screening of The French Connection, in the very screening room where I was now sat watching the part-time naked bongo player. Now that McConaughey is playing a distinctly unpleasant character, Joe Cooper, one though which considering what he does, appears to have his own perverse moral code, I found him to be quite a watchable and engaging presence. Talking of moral codes, the central father (Thomas Haden Church), step-mom (Gina Gershon) and son (Emile Hirsh) don't appear to have one of these and clearly scrambling from one desperate situation to another.

The film speaks of the importance of honesty and a warning regarding who and what you may get involved in.

This is a visceral drama where the central father, step-mom and and son are deceitful and only serving their own self-interests. The father generally appears to be quite a passive and under the thumb character. The son is a proper bum, who appears to make no attempts to learn from the situations he gets himself into. The step-mom is the very definition of a slag.

The most interesting and intriguing character, and I would say most impressively performed in the whole film, is the daughter in the central family, called Dottie, played by the Brit, Juno Temple, daughter of the director Julian Temple. It is mostly assumed by the family that Dottie is a bit slow and needs protecting and often does not understand, and Joe assumes that Dottie is accepting of being pushed around by him. Yet by subtle inflections in the voice and rate of response along with how will change subject, along with micro expression in body language suggests that Dottie knows a lot more than is made clear. Dottie is by far the most ambiguous character and her motives are never made clear.

Having seen the film, I now agree with Mark Thomas when speaking on the BBC's Review Show (BBC2) on the night of the films general release, where he stated that the film should have been called Dottie. Although I agree, I also understand that a title like 'Killer Joe' is likely to gain greater interest and is more honestly reflective of the films tone. If it were called Dottie it may have got less attention and some may have gone to see the film expecting quite a different creature.

In regard to the infamous chicken scene, in the context of the depravity of the characters in the film, I don't see why this was seen as controversial, as seemed quite fitting in the overall tone. The Violence is in no way restrained and feels appropriately hard too take and will be appropriately too much for some. Thankfully there is also the balance of there being some genuinely laugh out load funny scenes.

The films ending is left with Dottie showing a strength, making it harder for her to be messed with (by those who are left), though also the ending is cut at a point where it is not clear as to how the character relations will pan out. Just the way I like it, no easy answers. A very enjoyable watch!

Rating: 08/10.