THE KILL ROOM

US, 2023, 98 minutes, Colour.

Uma Thurman, Joe Manganiello, Samuel L.Jackson, Amy Keum, Maya Hawke, Dree Hemingway, Jennifer Kim, Larry Pine, Candy Buckley, Tom Pecinka, Nikolai Tsankhov.

Directed by Nicol Paone.

As the title for a film about competitiveness in the art world, The Kill Room doesn’t seem quite likely.

In fact, the film does open with a murder, a seemingly charming man walking along the street, Joe Manganiello, reacts to an insult and kill someone. It emerges that he is a hitman, completely amoral, but with potential charm. Samuel L.Jackson plays a shady character, involved in the food industry, but with links to organised crime.

The other strand of the film focuses on Patrice, Uma Thurman, director of a Gallery, caught up in high society, but in financial needs. Then comes the strange linking of the two worlds.

The proposal is that the hitman attempt some paintings – but, surprisingly, is successful. The scheme for his paintings is money laundering with the paintings sold but staying in the Gallery. However, Patrice’s enthusiastic assistant, is keen to promote them. Consequently, the hitman becomes a celebrated artist, called The Bagman, with exhibitions and sales.

So, this is a satirical comedy, critique of cut throat action in the art world, paralleling it with the world of organised crime and hits.

The comparison would be Velvet Buzzsaw which had a star cast also critical of cut throat action in the art world.

1. The title? The finale and the storage of empty cases?
2. The satiric perspective of the film? Serious themes? The hitman, dealing, money laundering, the bosses? The contrast with the art world? Bringing them together?
3. The city settings, the bars, the Jewish bagel shop, the art gallery, streets and buildings, but exhibitions, the studio for The Big man? Atmosphere? Musical score?
4. Introduction to Reggie, of the incident, the killing? The continued hits? The later background to Reggie’s life, his sister, trouble, her addiction, his helping her out, the murders? The gang bosses? The relationship with Gordon? Is to do the paintings, seeing him at work, his reaction to be an artist, introduction to the art world?
5. Patrice, her gallery, her drug habit, financial difficulties, the story of her cutting off a famous artist, her motivations? Leslie as her internal? Discussions with Greece, the paintings, grease and her anger? The various rivals, Fern, Annika, the power of The Kimono and her articles? Different clientele? The exhibition, no sales, her later explaining to Reggie Greece’s childhood and her paintings? Her financial difficulties?
6. Her drug habit, connections with Note, discussion about the paintings, note having a painting, Gordon seeing it, the idea for laundering money through art? His visit to Greece, their interactions, her refusal? Growing financial difficulties, going to see Gordon, Gordon commissioning Reggie to paint, her reaction to the paintings, promotion, the sales, the money laundering? Leslie and her enthusiasm, the word getting around, the rival painters, The Kimono, the clients? Are getting in deeper?
7. Reggie, the painting, the effect, the demands on his revealing himself, his secrecy, the paintings, the plastic bags, his arrangements, Patrice exhibiting them, the reality of the murders? Her visiting the studio? Talking with him, explanations, finding something of his inner self? The exhibition, the Kimono and the interview, the various jealousies?
8. Patrice, having the money, going to the functions, the snide remarks of people? Leslie, her enthusiasm?
9. The gang bosses, the control of Reggie, the links with Gordon? The confrontation at the paintings, the session with Patrice and Reggie?
10. Patrice, the discovery of Reggie’s being a hitman, her vomiting, the video? Interpreted as response to the art? Her idea, greater fraud, the connection with Annika and her assistant, the information about the oligarchs and their paintings? The plan, Miami, the exhibition, the secrecy, everybody assembled, the filming of the encounter, Reggie in the bag over the oligarch, the mobster coming in, killing the oligarch, killing the assistant? Everybody seeing it as video, applauding?
11. The reputation of the bagman? System of carting artworks to diverse, the bodies inside? Reggie, the boat, to Cuba and is disappearing? Patrice, the final conversation with Gordon? And the box arriving at the Kill Room?