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A rather disturbing film which achieved something that I have rarely experienced after going to the movies. I was entertained, both shocked, thrilled and oddly amused at the same time, think Tarantino with all the geek references and most of the humour thrown out and go way over the top with graphic depiction of sex and murder. The story of the film is that of a solid thriller but the story may very well be the least concern of the audience. The setting is hauntingly brilliant and not many backdrops work as good as the eerie south of the vintage United States. The film’ s direction jumps back and forth between intense moments of grizzly tension, outright and almost slapstick silliness (which becomes the vision of a psychopath in the context of the movie) and a subtle celebration of a slow pace, with many scenes relying solely (and effectively) on the dialogue and acting of the performers. The most evident aspect of the film is its brutality, the murder scenes had my stomach going for a rollercoaster ride. Expect no gorefest like in recent porn-films such as Saw, but a dry, utterly über-realistic and the more terrifying depiction of a cold blooded murderer and his twisted mind at work. Casey Affleck is a revelation and his performance is so nerve-shattering, I think he might be in for the Oscar run (nomination that is, a film like this would never win the best actor). The rest of the cast is good, if not solid. Of course, Alba and Hudson have to bare quiet a lot, because the film does not put any leaves on its crotch when it comes to the very passionate sex scenes, expect nudity, spanking, dirty talk, you name it, the fun is all in there. It is great to see Ned Beatty alive an kicking on the big screen, although his role is not that complex. Simon Baker is the only bad call of the casting as his role is quite important as he is more or less the strongest contender for antagonist, but remains colourless and bland. An amazing OST, costume and set design round it up. A hell of a ride (if you do not mind my redneck expression). I give it four stars because it drags on a bit in the middle, trying to round itself up by focussing too much on the “story” instead of the axis, that is Affleck’s character and I admit I was not interested in the backstory of the movie at all. So, apart from the very weak middle part, the film is a jewel, Casey Affleck has a bright future.

The Killer Inside Me is the story of Lou Ford (Casey Affleck), a small town sheriff with one face for the public he serves and one for behind closed doors. His public persona hides murderous intentions and a damaged past and when he is asked to chase prostitute Joyce Lakeland (Jessica Alba) out of town, his life soon starts to unravel.

On a purely visceral level, the film is unrelenting, the repeated acts of violence recalling the fire extinguisher scene from Gasper Noé’s equally disturbing Irreversible; the wet crunch as metal impacts on face corresponding to the punches Lou Ford unleashes early in the film. Also – though Winterbottom suggested it was unintentionally loud at the premiere – the sound is almost a character in itself. Similar to Noé’s use of bass saturation to unsettle an audience.

You could call it misogynistic. You could certainly call it gratuitous. Several people in the audience were cursing under their breath suggesting a degree of both, but to claim either would be to misunderstand what Winterbottom is trying to say. It’s not the violence that’s important. It’s what happens either side of it.

Winterbottom is keen to express Ford’s mental fracture and depicts an unsettling balance between tender gesture and destructive force. When Ford whispers: “I love you. Goodbye” or gives a cheerful whistle, a giggle catches in your throat. His nonchalance is absurd. Almost comical. Yet terrible at the same time. Similarly, the use of Spade Cooley’s Shame On You is both a period detail and also a knowing punctuation of murder.

There are times where the balance is off. Lou’s relationships with Sheriff Bob Maples (Tom Bower) and Johnnie Pappas (Liam Aiken) feel skimped on. The latter critical to giving us some insight into Lou’s struggle with empathy and his fellow man. Similarly, the wordplay, Lou’s dangerous, tricky game he plays with both the characters and the audience that hints at how smart he really is, isn’t quite as prevalent as in the book.

Unfortunately it’s an inevitable trade-off when you’re translating a purely first-person narrative – the diary of a dangerous mind, so to speak – to a cinematic narrative. There isn’t quite the same bond with the audience and we’re not quite so entrenched in the mind as Winterbottom would like. That’s not his fault. That’s the tricky, sometimes insurmountable, part of adaptation.

Stylistically, however it’s all on the director, and it’s a mixed bag. There’s a touch of Edward Hopper in the period detail. Beauty in the ordinary, but also something unsettling. It‘s certainly not L.A. Confidentia’. It’s not a tribute or trophy. It doesn’t look ornate. There’s a documentary eye for detail at work here and so everything looks lived-in. There’s also an interesting use of jump cuts, flashbacks and audio to convey how unstable Lou Ford is.

I’m not sure the same could be said of some of the pacing. Several scenes lack dramatic momentum, the delivery arrhythmic and accentuated by some of the rather abrupt editing. Considering how sharp and punchy the original dialogue is, this is unforgivable. Some of the worst moments feature the actor playing Pappas. He’s truly wretched and it makes you wonder if they confused his stand-in for the real thing.

As for the other performances, the standouts are surprising and not. Alba’s role might be small, but her fate looms over the entire movie and she deals with the rather unpleasant psychosexual content well. There’s a touch of Jennifer Jones about her, and that she isn’t swallowed up by Affleck is testament to her solid work here.

Speaking of which, Affleck is mesmerising as the lead. His baby face and slim physique offer an immediate contrast with his actions. His soft, cracking drawl that seems to turn everything he’s saying into a single, potent word. The way he sucks on his teeth then opens his mouth in a piranha smile that suggests violence. But it’s never overdone. It’s just as precise a performance as his work in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He understands that the violence is meant to be explosive and shocking so dials it down until required.

And that’s just what the film is. Required viewing. It’s not easy, and it’s not without its controversy or even faults. But just because it isn’t about make-believe and doesn’t shy away from violence, even if it is directed at women, doesn’t mean it should be dismissed out of hand. It deserves to be understood. The churning emotions that underlie the violence is what makes it important and what makes it worthy of further discussion.

Adapted from a 1952 pulp novel by Jim Thompson, “The Killer Inside Me” is a film of uncompromising ferocity and shocking realism. It stars Casey Affleck as Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford, a well respected law-man in a small west Texas town who speaks softly and tries to mind his manners.

A local construction mogul named Chester Conway (Ned Beatty) finds that his son Elmer (Jay R. Ferguson) is seeing a local prostitute named Joyce (Jessica Alba). On orders from Conway, Ford’s boss, Bob Maples (Tom Bower), asks him to confront Joyce (Jessica Alba) and run her out of town. He drives out to see her, and thereafter begins an unexpected, passionate and sadomasochistic love affair with her. He keeps this relationship a secret, and when Joyce refuses to leave, Ford is asked to oversee an attempt to pay her off to leave town. That is when the seemingly simple deputy takes matters into his own hands.

The story is pulpy, and this initial plot of the movie is eventually shown to be a MacGuffin. The real story here is Ford. As his violent sexual tendencies become more and more prevalent, we come to understand that he is a genuine sociopath hiding beneath a harmless facade. He hurts his loved ones, including Joyce and his girlfriend Amy (Kate Hudson), for reasons that he manages to justify through his own twisted logic. The bodies begin to pile up as Ford manages to cover his tracks and set others up for his murders. Affleck gives a powerhouse performance that is sometimes greater than the film surrounding it. This work, alongside his work in his brother Ben Affleck’s film “Gone Baby Gone” has quickly led me to realize what an important actor he is. As Lou Ford, he is truly terrifying. He acts on his violent tendencies in a sudden, unpredictable manner, and each time it comes as a complete shock.

As powerful as Affleck’s performance is, there is not quite as much intrigue in the character as I would have hoped for. On many levels, “The Killer Inside Me” is a superbly directed character study. It examines Ford’s behavior, the cold nature by which he destroy’s others’ lives, but because Ford narrates much of the movie, which, I have read, goes according to the source material, there is not a lot to think over after the credits have rolled.

There is also the issue of the music in the film. As incredibly graphic, dark events are taking place throughout the film, breezy western swing music plays between scenes, rendering the overall tone of the movie a bit too self-consciously ironic. Director Steven Soderbergh once discussed how some filmmakers abuse music in film, that these so-called music-abusers cannot help themselves. This movie is a good example of what Soderbergh is talking about. What we are seeing onscreen is ultimately abused by the music. It does not work.

The women don’t seem to be given much to say or do except get beat to shreds, but the violence is so well-staged that it is effective. There is a lot to admire about “The Killer Inside Me,” including the supporting performances by Beatty, Alba and Hudson. There is also a small but great performance by Elias Koteas as a suspicious union leader. He sees through Ford’s veil of goodness into his darkness. It actually would have been nice to see more of Koteas’ character.

The controversy that surrounded this film at the time of its initial release is understandable. It is not as outwardly gruesome as the violence in the “Saw” movies or in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”—the most violent movie I have ever seen—but it somehow hits harder and has more of an impact on screen. It is a beautifully shot film, and although the final scenes are less convincing than those that come before, Winterbottom has still made a significant thriller with fearless ambitions that, for the most part, pay off.