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You Kill Me
You Kill Me
You Kill Me
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You Kill Me
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Dahl
Written byChristopher Markus
Stephen McFeely
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJeffrey Jur
Edited byScott Chestnut
Music byMarcelo Zarvos
Distributed byIFC Films
Release date
  • June 22, 2007 (2007-06-22)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4 million
Box office$3.7 million[1]

You Kill Me is 2007 crime comedy film directed by John Dahl, and starring Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson and Dennis Farina.[2]

Plot

[edit]

Frank Falenczyk is a hit man for his Polish mob family in Buffalo, New York. He has a drinking problem, as a result of which he messes up the critical assignment of preventing Eddie O'Leary from a rival family getting on a train bound for New York and organise the Chinese against them in town.

As this has put the family business in peril, Frank's uncle Roman Krzeminski, head of the family, sends him to San Francisco to get on AA. If he doesn't, he will no longer work for the family.

At his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Falenczyk ducks out early and comes face-to-face with Dave, Roman's contact. He forces him to accept a job at a funeral parlour. Frank meets Laurel Pearson, a quirky client he meets at the funeral home when she comes by to drop shoes off for her deceased stepfather. At the funeral, he gets up the nerve to ask her for coffee. Frank's sponsor warns him that AA and dating might not mix.

Visiting his sponsor Tom as he collects tolls at a booth, Frank confesses his job, explaining that he wants to be free of his drinking problem because it's affecting his ability to kill effectively.

Meanwhile, as an upstart Irish gang threatens the family snow-plowing business, Frank's cousin Stef calls, unhappy his partner and kid are going to Florida, where it's safer.

When an Irish family have a wake in the parlour, Frank is pressured into falling off the wagon. In doing so, he forgets dinner at Laurel's. When the wake is over, he offers to drive a couple home in their car. As Frank and the woman wait for her husband to take a leak, she reclines his seat back to kiss him, his foot hits the gas and they crash. He was knocked unconscious, so the woman lies, saying he kissed her and the old man pulls him out onto a rainy street and leaves him in a puddle.

The next morning, after Frank tells Laurel how he fell off the wagon, he takes her to an AA meeting. He tells his story for the first time, and is open about his profession. His sponsor Tom is supportive, and the other AA members are stunned, but don't come down on him. On a bowling date, a curious Laurel continues to try understand how he got into the job, the logistics. As they get closer, Frank shows her his scrupulous records, and he tries to make token restitution by sending gift cards to the families whose loved one he killed unnecessarily badly because he was drunk.

Dave approaches Frank, asking him to do something about a building inspector who insists a building his real estate agency could make millions on be torn down as it's not earthquake safe. After going through some retraining to sharpen his skills, Laurel encourages him to take the job. Presenting himself to Supervisor Davis in his office in his skivvies, Frank pressures him. As a last resort he pulls his gun on him, but is successful in preserving the building.

Frank celebrates his homicide-free success with Tom and Laurel, and she chooses not to stay over. He falls off the wagon again as he feels alone. Dave comes up to him in a bar, thanking him for his help, then calling him a loser and paying for his drinks. Arriving home, Frank sees Laurel is waiting for him but he hides his drunken self from her.

When violence erupts in Buffalo and his uncle and two other family members are gunned down, Frank returns home to face the rival Irish gang and help Stef. With assistance from Laurel, he manages to suppress them. Finally getting his revenge on O'Leary, he returns to San Francisco. With support from Laurel, Stef and Tom, Frank celebrates getting his one year chip at AA.

Cast

[edit]

Reception

[edit]

The film was well received by critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 113 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "Featuring wonderful performances from Ben Kingsley and Tea Leoni, You Kill Me is a charming, funny take on the familiar inner-lives-of-hit-men premise."[3] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 64 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[4]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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You Kill Me

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
You Kill Me is a American directed by , starring as Frank Falenczyk, an alcoholic professional hitman employed by a family in . After his excessive drinking causes him to fail a crucial assassination, Frank is banished by his uncle and boss, Arlin (), to to achieve sobriety under the supervision of a family associate (). There, he attends meetings, secures employment at a , and forms an unlikely romantic relationship with a forthright , Laurel Pearson (). The story culminates in Frank's return to Buffalo to address unresolved conflicts with rival mob elements. The screenplay was written by , the duo later renowned for penning multiple films in the , including Captain America: The First Avenger. Produced by IFC Films, it premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and was theatrically released in the United States on June 22, 2007; the movie blends elements of dark humor, romance, and mob drama, with a runtime of 93 minutes. The ensemble cast also includes as Frank's AA sponsor, Dave, alongside and in key supporting roles. Critically, You Kill Me was well-received for its witty script and strong performances, particularly Kingsley's portrayal of the conflicted , earning a 79% Tomatometer score on based on 113 reviews. The critic consensus praises it as "a charming, funny take on the familiar inner-lives-of-hit-men premise," highlighting the chemistry between Kingsley and Leoni. It holds an average IMDb user rating of 6.4 out of 10 from over 19,000 votes, reflecting its appeal among fans of indie crime comedies.

Production

Development and writing

The screenplay for You Kill Me was written by , marking their first original feature script, which they completed around 1997 after drawing inspiration from a personal experience attending an meeting. The duo, who had previously collaborated on adaptations but were emerging as screenwriters, crafted the story as a centered on an alcoholic mob hitman confronting personal demons, blending sharp wit with themes of and redemption in a criminal setting. This concept echoed sensibilities through its exploration of moral ambiguity and dark humor, though the script languished on the Hollywood circuit for nearly a decade as producers sought the right director and talent to bring its quirky tone to life. In early 2006, director became attached to the project after reading the script, which had been forwarded to him by producer Carol Baum with already expressing interest in starring. Dahl, known for his works like (1993), was drawn to the material's fusion of humor and redemption arcs, viewing it as a return to the intimate, character-focused independent films that defined his early career after larger studio efforts. He appreciated how the screenplay's dry, offbeat allowed for a vigorous yet restrained directorial approach, emphasizing the protagonist's internal struggles without veering into . The film was produced on a modest of $4 million by a team including Téa Leoni, producer , and others such as Mike Marcus through Echo Lake Productions, with financing from Code Entertainment and Kingsley's BiPolar Productions. By April 2006, revisions to the script were finalized, enabling pre-production to advance swiftly, and the project was later acquired by IFC Films in September 2006 for worldwide distribution, signaling its viability as an independent production amid a strategic shift for the distributor toward theatrical releases.

Casting

Ben Kingsley was cast in the lead role of Frank Falenczyk, the alcoholic hitman, due to his proven ability to portray complex, introspective anti-heroes with emotional depth, serving as the "straight man" to ground the film's quirky tone. Director noted that the script presented an intriguing opportunity for Kingsley to perform against type, highlighting his professionalism and charm during production. Téa Leoni was selected as Laurel Pearson, the romantic lead who befriends Frank, for her wit, sex appeal, and comedic timing, which brought authenticity to the character's damaged yet resilient nature; she also served as a , introducing Dahl to the project and aiding in funding. Dahl praised her instant chemistry with Kingsley and her background in roles like Flirting with Disaster, which aligned with the script's demand for sharp dialogue delivery. Luke Wilson was chosen for the role of Tom, Frank's AA sponsor, to leverage his everyman charm and subtle humor, contrasting the mob elements and adding subtext to key scenes like the AA meeting where Tom knows Frank's secret. This selection emphasized Wilson's ability to enhance the film's balance of comedy and drama without overshadowing the leads. The supporting cast featured experienced actors from crime comedies and character studies to maintain tonal equilibrium. Dennis Farina portrayed Edward O'Leary, the Irish mob boss, drawing on his real-life background as a Chicago police detective for 18 years to infuse authenticity into the role, while contributing unscripted humor. Bill Pullman played Dave, selected partly due to his prior professional connection with Dahl from university days. Philip Baker Hall was cast as Roman Krzeminski, Frank's grandfather and mob patriarch, for his nuanced performances in ensemble pieces. Joe Mantegna took on Mike Milano, another mob figure, bringing his veteran status in mob-themed films. Neil Flynn rounded out the group as Dr. Arnold, the rehab counselor, adding dry wit from his television work.

Filming

Principal photography for You Kill Me began in early 2007 and was completed in 26 days on a limited budget of approximately $4 million. The production adopted an efficient schedule to accommodate the independent film's constraints, with director emphasizing a "sink or swim" approach involving 12-hour shooting days and no opportunity for reshoots. Filming took place primarily in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which served as a stand-in for both Buffalo, New York—depicting the protagonist's mob family sequences—and San Francisco, California, representing the sobriety and romance elements of the story. Only one day of principal photography occurred in actual San Francisco locations, such as urban settings for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and the character Laurel's apartment, while the majority of those scenes were recreated in Winnipeg. Buffalo's industrial areas, evoking the Polish mob heritage, were simulated using Winnipeg's gritty urban and factory districts to capture the required snowy, harsh atmosphere on a tighter budget. John Dahl directed the film, working closely with cinematographer Jeffrey Jur to achieve a visually balanced look that supported the narrative's tonal shifts. John Dondertman crafted sets and environments that highlighted the stark contrast between Buffalo's cold, industrial grit and San Francisco's vibrant, cosmopolitan energy, enhancing the story's themes of transformation. A key logistical challenge was maintaining the film's blend of comedic and violent elements, which Dahl addressed primarily through precise on-set execution and post-shoot editing adjustments to ensure the humor did not undermine the tension. The constrained resources also necessitated creative decisions, such as forgoing elaborate night exteriors like snow-plowing sequences, to stay within the shooting timeline and financial limits. The final runtime was edited to 93 minutes.

Content

Plot

Frank Falenczyk serves as a hitman for his Polish-American crime family in , but his chronic causes him to botch a crucial assignment by passing out during on a target. Consequently, his uncle and boss, Roman Krzeminski, banishes him to with strict instructions to attend meetings daily and secure employment at a to maintain and prove his reliability. Arranged through family associate Dave, who helps him get settled and attend meetings where he gets a sponsor, Frank relocates and begins working as a mortician's assistant, handling and other tasks while grappling with withdrawal and isolation. In , Frank encounters Laurel Pearson, a forthright , at a social gathering, and the two develop a romantic relationship that provides him emotional support during his recovery. He initially conceals his criminal background and profession from her, but eventually confesses the truth about being a hitman, which tests their bond yet strengthens his commitment to sobriety as Laurel stands by him. Through consistent AA attendance and her encouragement, Frank achieves milestones in his abstinence, marking a gradual shift in his lifestyle. When tensions escalate back in Buffalo due to incursions by a rival Irish under Edward O'Leary, Frank returns to address the threats and mend family rifts with Roman. Supported by Laurel, who joins him, and his uncle, he navigates the confrontations, culminating in a decisive mob showdown that resolves the conflicts. By the film's conclusion, Frank celebrates one year of , his actions demonstrating a pursuit of personal redemption through reformed habits and relationships.

Cast and characters

The film You Kill Me features an portraying characters central to the story's themes of , redemption, and dynamics within Polish and Irish mob families. Ben Kingsley leads as the troubled protagonist, supported by actors who depict his personal and professional relationships in Buffalo and .
ActorCharacterRole Description
Frank FalenczykAn alcoholic for a Polish mob family who is sent to to achieve sobriety and seek personal redemption.
Téa LeoniLaurel PearsonAn independent, no-nonsense woman who enters Frank's life as his love interest and provides crucial emotional support during his recovery from .
Luke WilsonTomFrank's quirky and unconventional sponsor in , who becomes a key friend and guide in his sobriety journey.
Dennis FarinaEdward O'LearyA ruthless Irish mob boss whose criminal activities create ongoing rivalry and conflict with Frank's Polish family back in Buffalo.
Bill PullmanDaveA family associate in who arranges Frank's apartment, job at a , and AA attendance.
Philip Baker HallRoman Krzeminski (Uncle)Frank's uncle and boss, the patriarch of the Polish mob family in Buffalo, embodying old-world values and authority over the organization's operations.
The ensemble is rounded out by minor roles including family members and mob associates who enhance the film's depiction of communal and criminal interdependencies without overshadowing the core narrative.

Release

Premiere and distribution

You Kill Me had its world premiere at the Film Festival on April 28, 2007. The film received a in the United States on June 22, 2007, distributed by IFC Films. Internationally, the film opened in on June 22, 2007, followed by the on December 7, 2007, and select European markets throughout 2008. The marketing strategy focused on Ben Kingsley's portrayal of the protagonist, emphasizing the aspects through trailers that highlighted the film's blend of humor and crime drama. Posters prominently featured Kingsley holding a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a in the other, underscoring the character's and profession as a . IFC Films acquired the North American distribution rights in September 2006, marking a strategic expansion for the company into solo releases. The film was released on via DVD on October 9, 2007, by under the IFC Films label. With a runtime of 93 minutes, You Kill Me is rated R for language, violence, and drug content.

Box office performance

You Kill Me was produced on a budget of $4 million. The film earned a total worldwide gross of $3.75 million, including $2.43 million from the and Canada and $1.32 million from international markets. Released on June 22, 2007, by distributor IFC Films, the film opened in limited release across 35 screens, grossing $247,000 during its first weekend. It later expanded to a maximum of 252 theaters but struggled to maintain momentum amid competition from major summer blockbusters such as and . As an independent production with a niche dark comedy genre, You Kill Me had limited wide appeal despite achieving a strong per-screen average of approximately $7,057 in its opening weekend, largely due to Ben Kingsley's star draw. Home media sales provided additional revenue streams, though exact figures remain unavailable.

Reception

Critical response

You Kill Me received generally favorable reviews from critics, with praise centered on its lead performance and tonal balance. On , the film has a 79% Tomatometer approval rating based on 113 reviews, with an average score of 6.7/10; critics particularly praised Ben Kingsley's nuanced portrayal of addiction and recovery. On , it holds a score of 64 out of 100 based on 25 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception, with reviewers noting the effective blending of humor and drama. Among the positive aspects highlighted were the strong on-screen chemistry between and Kingsley, which added warmth to their central romance. Director was commended for skillfully balancing comedic elements with underlying tension, creating a moody atmosphere. The film's exploration of themes within an unconventional mobster setting was also appreciated for its fresh perspective on personal redemption. Criticisms focused on the uneven pacing in the mob-related , which occasionally disrupted the flow. Some reviewers found the script predictable in its overall arc, though they acknowledged its witty dialogue as a redeeming feature. Notable reviews included one from the site, where Jim Emerson awarded it 2 out of 4 stars and lauded the "odd couple" dynamic between the leads. highlighted the film's dry wit and razor-sharp scripting in its positive assessment.

Awards and nominations

You Kill Me received modest recognition at awards ceremonies, with a focus on its performances and portrayal of , though it garnered no major wins beyond one ensemble honor. The film's independent status contributed to its limited accolades, but the nominations highlighted the strength of its acting ensemble. At the 12th in 2007, was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, or Musical for his role as Frank Falenczyk. The 2008 Prism Awards, which recognize accurate depictions of drug, alcohol, and mental health issues in entertainment, awarded You Kill Me the prize for – Limited Release. Ben Kingsley received a in the same for Male Performance in a Feature Film. In the Alliance of Women Film Journalists' 2007 EDA Awards, Téa Leoni was nominated in the satirical category of Most Egregious Age Difference Between Leading Man and Love Interest, noting the 28-year age gap with co-star .

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796375/
  2. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1178913-1178913-you_kill_me
  3. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0796375/
  4. https://filmmakermagazine.com/1269-john-dahl-you-kill-me/
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/movies/17ciep.html
  6. https://moviepie.com/of-crime-and-black-comedy-a-conversation-with-john-dahl/
  7. https://movieweb.com/sir-ben-kingsley-tea-leoni-and-luke-wilson-join-you-kill-me/
  8. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/You-Kill-Me
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796375/fullcredits/
  10. http://www.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/movies/youkillmescript.pdf
  11. https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/marking-a-strategic-shift-at-ifc-company-nabs-dahls-you-kill-me-76054/
  12. http://nycmovieguru.com/johndahl.html
  13. https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2007-12-06-john-dahl-interview-about-you-kill-me-feature-story-by-ben-sillis
  14. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001199/bio/
  15. https://danieleagan.wordpress.com/2007/06/26/interview-john-dahl-on-you-kill-me/
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  17. https://floridagators80.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/movie-review-you-kill-me/
  18. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/movies/22kill.html
  19. https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/youkillme/
  20. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/you-kill-me-2007
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796375/plotsummary/
  22. https://tribecafilm.com/films/512d048d1c7d76e0460026d5-you-kill-me
  23. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/actor-marcus-thomas-attends-the-premiere-of-you-kill-me-at-news-photo/74017835
  24. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796375/releaseinfo/
  25. https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2007/12/03/you_kill_me_2007_review.shtml
  26. http://www.impawards.com/2007/you_kill_me.html
  27. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2524612097/
  28. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/season/summer/2007/
  29. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/you-kill-me
  30. https://www.grouchoreviews.com/reviews/6334f8c95fe75d1811c62d54
  31. https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/you-kill-me/
  32. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/dec/09/features.review27
  33. https://captainjaq.com/2007/07/24/review-you-kill-me/
  34. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/you-kill-me-159198/
  35. https://www.metacritic.com/movie/you-kill-me/
  36. https://variety.com/2007/film/awards/satellite-award-nominees-1117977011/
  37. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/simpsons-prism-honorees-110219/
  38. https://awfj.org/blog/2007/12/11/nominations-for-2007-eda-awards/
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