The Killer Inside Me [DVD]

Some films come with their own baggage you learn about before seeing the film. `The Killer Inside Me' is one such film as I already knew it was meant to contain some harrowing scenes of violence that were borderline unacceptable to some people. After seeing the film I have to agree that there are some strong images in the film, but this is an 18 and everything is in keeping with the characters and the tone of the film itself. There is no revelling in violence; instead it shows the brutality of a man on the edge.

Casey Affleck as Lou Ford is this man. He is a Sherriff's Deputy in a small US town. He is pleasant enough to people and well liked, but inside he is tortured and driven to doing dark deeds. Affleck is excellent as the brooding Ford a likable psychopath who seems more broken than evil. He plays against a couple of female actors in Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson who do a decent job in difficult roles. However, this is Affleck's film firstly and director Michael Winterbottom's secondly. Winterbottom is a controversial and at times brilliant director. I would put `Devil' amongst his best works. He follows the source material well and literally pulls no punches with the violence. Does he go too far? I don't believe so. Seeing violence in a domestic setting is more harrowing perhaps, but I still see far worse in the multitude of violent 18 and increasingly 15 certificate films out there. Context is the key that make this film work.

`Killer' has an almost art house feel to it and this is reflected in both Affleck's unsettling performance and the story itself. You are asked to make some of the conclusions yourself and decide who you think is right or wrong. Ford is charismatic enough that you sometimes like him even though he is evil. This is an impressive thing to pull off and Affleck and Winterbottom should be proud. A dark and powerful film that will not appeal to everyone, but if you are looking for something challenging `The Devil Inside Me' is worth a watch.

I saw the BluRay version of this film and the period setting and open vistas looked great in HD.

I'm staggered by some of the reviews here. So it's surprisingly not a date night film? So it's surprising that a film about a sociopath isn't always an easy or pleasant watch? Wow it's even surprising to some that there are accents in an American film? So let me understand you wanted to see a good time film in cut glass English accents which made murder and violence fun? Wow maybe it's just me but you maybe just need a bit of a reality check.
I cam to this film with a strong element of caution as the violence to women had been well trailed, and I'm no fan of voyeuristic violence like Saw or strong bleak violence like Wolfs Creek, and violence for violence sake is okay in your average zombie flick, but with real people not so much thanks. But this film is really fantastic. Casey Affleck is a wonderful lead character, he makes his character utterly believable, a sociopath among us, almost invisible to the world, but stalking, violent, and yet strangely charming (and hey sadly sociopaths are often exactly that). His portrayal is absorbing, a career defining moment. Both lead female actors are also extraordinary in their parts, Kate Hudson long suffering and victim but always believable, and Jessica Alba as the much darker warped character that is counters the Casey Affleck role. All three performances of the highest standards, the script is dark but enthralling, oh and god yes it's a bit hard to watch at times, but then again the violence never seems self relishing or self serving.
The plot is dark and weaving, the atmosphere dark and brooding, and the film a total success.
Don't watch if you are easily offended, don't watch on a first date, but do watch if you like great films and great acting.

great film all round. it would have been a 5 star if the ending matched the rest of the film. I won't spoil it but the end seems to tie things up in a very quick and easy way really without any real thought as to how best to end it and leaves a feeling of "he wouldn't have done that" or if the premise it seems to have gone down really happened then it would have been over without others dying along the way.
I'll say no more, as i say it's a good film but a little more thought could have gone into the ending.