The movie happens in times of severe financial crisis in the US, in the fall of 2008. Based on the lead given by a man named Squirrel, two young rookies, Frankie and Russell, rob a Mob protected poker game thinking that they would escape scot-free thanks to the fragile perception on Markie, the proprietor of the poker ring that they plan to rob. Markie had busted his own poker game sometime back.
Post this robbery, an enforcer by the name Jackie Cogan is called upon to clear the mess. Squirrel, Frankie and Russell are pinned as the perpetrators of the crime and time is running out for them as Jackie is slowly but surely planning his moves cunningly.
Ray Liotta as Markie gets a real whacking and he is pulped in all possible means. Poor man, the violence that he is subjected to, isn't for the weak-hearted.
The film moves at a really slow pace and we are constantly reminded of the financial crisis in the country, thanks to videos and speeches of Bush and Obama. It's basically a dog-eat-dog world and the characters are selfish and desperate for money. Brad Pitt, playing Jackie Cogan, goes as far as to say that America is not a country but a business. He even takes a shot at Thomas Jefferson's values while authoring the Declaration of Independence.
Jackie Cogan has some rules and values while plotting the downfall of his targets as he says in one of his dialogues "They cry, they plead, they beg, they piss themselves, they cry for their mothers. It gets embarrassing. I like to kill 'em softly. From a distance"
After the entry of Mickey Fallon, another hit-man, an already slow movie becomes even more slower as he spends all his time boozing and fucking women. The movie has some stylized violence of visuals backed by a retro soundtrack. Brad Pitt looks evidently old but retains his style.
In all, this movie is not everyone's cup of tea and it may be skipped.
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