Killing Them Softly (2012): ***

Killing Them Softly opens with Frankie (Scoot McNairy) walking out a tunnel into the dusty lot, with litter swirling in the air. Crashing into this scene, along with the credits, are excerpts of a speech by Barack Obama given in the lead up to the 2008 Presidential Election. These snippets of political broadcasts and audio are a constant presence in Killing Them Softly, as we follow blundering criminals Frankie and Russell (Ben Mendelsohn) who rob a mob-backed poker game. The Mafia brings in hit-man Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), and later Cogan’s associate Mickey (James Gandolfini), to take out those involved in the robbery. 

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