You Kill Me
Studio: IFC
Rated: R
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni
Director: John Dahl
WorkNameSort: You Kill Me
Our Rating: 2.50
This film’s fantastic premise ‘ a dedicated hit man begrudgingly undergoes rehab for his alcoholism ‘ is unfortunately derailed by its obsession with recovery culture and its constant proselytizing on behalf of 12-step programs. Ben Kingsley stars as the hit man, an assassin so dedicated to his task that he wants to kick his boozing simply because he’s a perfectionist and the drinking interfered with his ability to off people. His relocation from Buffalo, N.Y., to San Francisco and his temporary employment in a funeral home provide plenty of situational irony early in the film. But by the time he’s opened up to the people in his ‘meetingâ?� about his profession, it’s become clear that You Kill Me is less a dark comedy than a story of redemption. Kingsley’s love interest is played in brassy, detached fashion by Téa Leoni (who also acted as the film’s co-producer), and her collaboration with Kingsley does provide moments of comedic excellence. Too bad those moments don’t add up to enough to save the film from its ponderous messaging.
This article appears in Jul 11-17, 2007.