I don’t recall what prompted me to add Killer Joe (2011) to my list at Netflix. I usually avoid films that star Matthew McConaughey, whose work I’ve found lacking. He is excellent in this, as is the entire cast, especially, Thomas Haden Church, who nails his part as a low-key, dumb redneck. The film is an adaptation of a play by Tracy Letts, who has written many scripts for TV, including one Seinfeld, Prison Break and Homeland. He worked on it for 20 years. It is not pleasant, to say the least. The characters are unsavory or, in the case of the 21-year-old daughter, not quite right in the head. She is played wonderfully by Juno Temple, yet another Brit handling an American idiom flawlessly. Her older brother is played solidly by Emile Hirsch, who is reminiscent of the young Johnny Depp or Skeet Ulrich. Gina Gershon also lends her considerable talents to the proceedings, in the type of role she has mastered. The plot and the acting are the films strength. It is uncompromising and bleak, although there is occasional humor, especially from Church, although I did not once laugh out loud. In the special features, almost everyone interviewed used the term “hilarious.” I guess I didn’t get it. I found the characters sad, pathetic, even repulsive. But I watched the entire film without pause, which wasn’t really difficult, as it runs less than 90 minutes. It was directed by William Friedkin, who in his heyday gave us The French Connection (1971) and The Exorcist (1973). On a scale of five, I rate Killer Joe 2.6. It is rated 6.7 of ten at IMDb.
Since each team in MLB plays at least 162 games, the individual statistics of players are usually very interesting and telling. The Atlanta Braves won their division by five games, coasting the final month of the season, despite the dismal performances of key acquisitions. Their highest paid player, second baseman Dan Uggla, who earned 13 million in 2013, batted a paltry .179, although he did hit 22 home runs. He has been left off the roster for the team’s opening round playoff series against the Dodgers. Their second highest paid player, outfielder BJ Upton, who makes 12.45 million, hit only .184! He is on the post season roster. Remarkable.
Business was a bit better than usual at the floating book shop today. My thanks to the kind folks who made purchases. My Russian section is sold out.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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