Screenwriter-director Andrew Dominik discusses adapting Cogan’s Trade into the upcoming release, Killing Them Softly, starring Brad Pitt and Ben Mendelsohn. What attracted him to making the film? How much thought went into the process? Do films make any sense when they’re allowed to grow organically rather than being planned?
2 thoughts on “[Video]: Andrew Dominik on adapting Killing Them Softly”
I found this after seeing Killing Them Softly last night, as part of a burning desire to understand what it was about. I wasn’t sure if it was deep, lazy, or stupid. After watching this interview I am grimly shunting my opinion towards the middle option. This is the kind of writer that makes you think, hey. If this guy gets given money to write films, then I should be the Space Emperor of Mars by now.
Maybe I’m being overly harsh. Maybe Dominik was still tired from shooting, or had a migraine, or just got accidentally lobotomized by an insane dentist and spent the afternoon desperately hunting for his liberated right hemisphere. But I was a little disappointed with how apathetic he was about understanding his own film structure.
I found this after seeing Killing Them Softly last night, as part of a
burning desire to understand what it was about. I wasn’t sure if it was
deep, lazy, or stupid. After watching this interview I am grimly
shunting my opinion towards the middle option. This is the kind of
writer that makes you think, hey. If this guy gets given money to write
films, then I should be the Space Emperor of Mars by now.
Maybe I’m being overly harsh. Maybe Dominik was still tired from
shooting, or had a migraine, or just got accidentally lobotomized by an
insane dentist and spent the afternoon desperately hunting for his
liberated right hemisphere. But I was a little disappointed with how
apathetic he was about understanding his own film structure.
I honestly don’t believe Dominik understands film story. CHOPPER worked despite the story flaws, thanks to Bana’s groundbreaking performance.
It’s been downhill for him since.
I do admire his honesty when he admits he still has a career thanks to Brad Pitt. Then later he says he likes him, adding “as an actor”. Bizarre…