Chopper (2000)

Director: Andrew Dominik
Writer:    Mark Brandon Read (Books), Andrew Dominik
Cast:      Eric Bana, Simon Lyndon, David Field

Chopper tells the story of Mark "Chopper" Read. a legendary Australian criminal who wrote his autobiography while serving a prison sentence. The film is based on his book 'From the Inside' which was a best-seller.

I saw the film without having much background information about the character on which it is based and the film starts with a disclaimer that it is a heavily fictionalized account. Don't know how true it is but you can see Eric Bana giving a career best performance in a role you won't associate him with based on the roles he has done in Hollywood. Film marked the debut of the hugely talented New-Zealand born director Andrew Dominik who has made just three films in the last thirteen years, all of which can be classed as great films.

If you like gritty dark comedies then Chopper is a must watch. The film uses color very well to contrast between the prison scenes and the society scenes. However I saw it in a shitty youtube print.

Rating: 4/5

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Director: Andrew Dominik

Writers:  Andrew Dominik, Ron Hansen

Cast:      Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell

Robert Ford, who idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the reforming gang of Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader.

With a running time of close to three hours and the obvious spoiler in the title for those who don't know about the related history, one would think it will be a dull watch. But you will be mistaken. The question is who is the coward. It is not just a western but a character study on the main two characters and how history was retold subsequently. The exquisite cinematography reminded me of  Terrence Malick films. Actually Andrew Domink wanted it to be more contemplative like a Malick film but was opposed by the studio. I hope Dominik gets to make more films.

Rating: 5/5

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Director: Andrew Dominik

Writers:  Andrew Dominik, Geroge V.Higgins (Novel)

Cast:      Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, Scoot McNairy, James Gandolfini

Jackie Coogan is an enforcer hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.

Film is an adaptation of George V.Higgins novel 'Coogan's Trade' set in 2008 during the Obama campaign and election. The news of Great Financial Collapse of 2008 runs in the background and the the happenings in the film are metaphorically compared to the events that led to the crisis. It is very funny and shot very stylistically. The best film of 2012 from what I have seen.

So there with Coogan's monologue in the end: 

'My friend, Thomas Jefferson is an American saint because he wrote the words 'All men are created equal', words he clearly didn't believe since he allowed his own children to live in slavery. He's a rich white snob who's sick of paying taxes to the Brits. So, yeah, he writes some lovely words and aroused the rabble and they went and died for those words while he sat back and drank his wine and fucked his slave girl. This guy wants to tell me we're living in a community? Don't make me laugh. I'm living in America, and in America you're on your own. America's not a country. It's just a business. Now fuckin' pay me'.

Rating: 5/5