You Kill Me

The movie left an impression on me after watching it the first time to the point that I sought it out for a rewatch years later. Good drama-comedy.

I've spent nearly 40 years in the film business, and feel humbly capable of writing a review discussing the cinematography, the use of color, light and shadow. I could talk about the story line, which is basically the "old boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy..." well, why spoil it?I could also talk about the very clever conundrum posed in the story... one in which the on screen characters and the audience both are conflicted by the fact that there can only be two outcomes... both bad, yet... again, I'm not going to spoil it. Instead I'm going to tell you something far more important about this film.I am a recovering alcoholic. I've been fighting this disease for the last ten years when I finally admitted I was powerless over alcohol. Not long ago, I finally made a breakthrough, or rather, my "Higher Power" did. I am happily and joyously thankful for my new-found sobriety every day, and this movie captures that magical feeling in this cross between a chick flick and a really good gangster movie.Normally, I only watch movies online that are already free with my subscriptions, but I paid extra for this, and it turned out to be both a reward for and a reinforcement of my new-found sobriety. The actors are excellent and very well cast. You'll recognize gangsters from such terrific films as "Goodfellas" and the like. Tea Leone has just the right balance of feminine charm, irreverent intelligence and strength to balance Ben Kingsley's persona onscreen. Even the AA meeting scenes are pretty well represented, especially for a movie.But where "You Kill Me" really hits home is the feeling of relief and even joy as the story unfolds. It just feels authentic. You see, most people like me just couldn't imagine a life without drinking. I couldn't. I'd have rather died... and I almost did. Now that I'm sober, every day expresses itself with the same growing feeling of confidence and self-respect this movie shows so well. And isn't that what a movie is supposed to do? Suspend all disbelief and transport you into the story so you feel it is happening to you? As a raging alcoholic - and I will be one for the rest of my life - this movie made me feel good, and it gives me hope.If you or someone you know is an alcoholic, I urge you to watch this film. If you're in the program, tell your sponsor it qualifies as one meeting... and if you think you MAY be an alcoholic, you probably are. You've seen the tests in magazines... you know, answer a few questions the wrong way and bang... the ugly results are right in front of you. Personally, I think the test should start with one question, "Are you taking this test because you think you may have a drinking problem?" If you say yes, you don't need to finish the test. Get into a program. Stick with it and you will find your life more satisfying than all the yoga, money and single malt could buyI love movies that portray some reality is a way that is engaging and authentic. "You Kill Me" does that. If you have no problem with alcohol, I'm glad for you. You should watch this movie for it's subtle and seductive humor, as well as it's superb performances. If you are an alcoholic, I think you'll enjoy this onscreen look at the fellowship with an understanding and smiles that those without our disease just don't understand. Either way I think you'll enjoy this romantic tale. I highly recommend it . Don C., Living One Day At A Time in South Carolina

You'll need a dry sense of humor, but this is a great date night movie.

John Dahl's directing career started with Kill Me Again, a compact little film noir thriller about stolen money, double crosses, and people not worried about "traditional" morality or the ethical considerations in killing people. In You Kill Me, Dahl takes these same ideas and archetypes and moves them into the realm of comedy. Or rather, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely do - they wrote the screenplay as a spec, long before Dahl was ever involved. But it SEEMS like a Dahl story, and his direction of it is pitch-perfect. Sir Ben Kingsley plays a Polish hit man from Buffalo, with a drinking problem so severe that - after he's missed one too many jobs - his family sends him to San Francisco to dry out. He reluctantly joins AA, finds a sponsor (Luke Wilson), gets a family-sponsored day job in a funeral home, and meets one more in a long line of essentially sociopathic Dahl heroines (Tea' Leone). Tea' doesn't kill or rob, but she's okay with the fact that Kingsley's Frank is a professional killer - just so long as he doesn't decide to turn gay on her (apparently a problem she'd had once before, in her hometown of San Francisco). The story follows Frank's progress to a Good Sobriety, with the usual trials and slip-ups along the way, as he struggles to find himself. Not so he can reform his life of crime, but so that he can get back to killing people full-time, and do a better job of it. The film is brilliantly funny, with sharp and witty dialogue throughout, and the performances are spot-on. Others have noted that while Dennis Farina's mob boss is well-portrayed, the fact that he's supposed to be an IRISH mob boss is patently silly; he's about as Irish as pasta fazool. But that's a quibble; this is a delightful film in the 'funny hitman' sub-genre, right along side Grosse Pointe Blank and In Bruges - which is where the DVD sits, on the shelf in my book case. Lots of great extras on the disc, including a director's commentary track that includes the screenwriters (it's ABOUT TIME!) and some great behind-the-scenes material. If you like Dahl's other films, or you like funny hitman movies, this is a must-see.

No spoilers! I stumbled across this movie first on NetFlix (or was it Prime?) Regardless, it was so funny and well acted - and actually had a plot - that I ordered a copy on DVD to watch whenever I wanted.The acting among Kingsley, Leoni and Wilson is inspired. And their characters have some excellent chemistry. The plot was a nice touch because it is much more than a vehicle for the comedy. The comedy is quirky to say the least, and I had so many LOL moments that I lost count. Even when I rewatch this, knowing what is coming is a particular scene, I cannot suppress a laugh.If you love off-the-wall comedy delivered within a decent story this is worth watching.

you have one mafia trying to get rid of another, an alcohol abuse story , a love story, a funeral parlor and a friendship story. there are a lot of different things going on. i didn't understand why a father would knock his son down a flight of stairs and the son said it was to protect him. he could have easily died right there.i think he needed protection from his father. also, why do people want to look alike and dress alike and have the exact same beards. when you hire poeple who look like each other , in a movie , it gets confusing.

And Entertaining.

You Kill Me is a curious little movie. A noir/ gangster/ black comedy hybrid that skilfully integrates all these incongruous elements into a subtly pleasing whole. It may not be funny enough for those wanting copious belly laughs, it may not be viscerally exciting enough for aficionado's of the gangster genre and i doubt it's brackish or labyrinthine enough to cut it as classic noir . Despite this i rather enjoyed this tale of a hit man whose personal demons impinge on his work. It has quality performances from a solid cast and keeps you on your toes enough to maintain interest.Frank (Ben Kingsley) is a hit man working for the Polish mob in Buffalo. He is also an alcoholic. We first see him downing bottles of vodka before a hit .Unfortunately while staking out the proposed victim -rival Irish mob boss (Dennis Farina) -he falls into a sozzled slumber and misses his chance. Knowing they can no longer rely on him his bosses send him to San Francisco to dry out and get his act together.Once there he is overseen by officious real estate agent (Bill Pullman) who insists he join the local AA and gets him a job in a morticians dressing up corpses ready for burial. At the AA meetings he meets laconic fellow alcoholic Tom(Luke Wilson) and through his new job he meets Laurel (Tea Leoni) whose father has recently deceased. They form an unlikely bond , especially unlikely since he , deciding that honesty is the best policy tells her about his real job. But events back in Buffalo mean he will have to give up his new life and friends and return to sort things out once and for all.Director John Dahl cleverly holds this slight and ,frankly implausible, plot together dexterously helped by writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely who add lots of dry dark banter between the characters. The final scenes are truly ridiculous and no matter how darkly mysterious Frank is it's hard to believe that a woman like Laurel would fall for him. It,s also hard to see this film rewarding repeat viewings. Yet for all this You Kill Me is a slyly amusing tale of a man on the wrong path in life being offered redemption and grabbing it with both hands...only it's not that straightforward .Now that is just like real life.

Really good script and sharp performances from a top-notch cast. Really enjoyable.

You Kill me is a marvellous black comedy with an original and clever premise: an alcoholic hit man who "shares" his angst with his AA group because, committed to confidentiality, they will keep his secrets, support his recovery, and help him to become the sober and successful hit man he was always meant to be! Great performances from the leads, Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni and Luke Wilson, and sharply written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

I'm not keen on reviewing films as everyone is different and sees things in very different ways - however, I bought this for a friend who loves Ben Kingsley and happy to post her review - she said it was 'a bit silly, rambling and went on too long' - perhaps not one of his best.

Bad script