What we flagged
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Our take
This is a landmark crime film told out of order, mixing dark comedy with sudden, graphic violence. Shootings, a point-blank accident, and a heroin overdose all land hard, and there is a vicious sexual assault on a man. The language almost never stops, with heavy swearing and a racial slur. Drug use is shown plainly. It earns its adult rating and is not for younger viewers.
Uplifting themes
One hit man talks himself toward walking away from the life, and a couple of characters show odd loyalty and mercy. The takeaways are buried under crime and cruelty. There is a flicker of change, not a clear moral Almost everyone here is a criminal, and the film is not asking you to look up to them. One man edges toward change by the end. Admirable behaviour is thin on the ground
Story (may spoil tone)
A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Shootings, beatings, and one messy accidental killing drive the story,…
Shootings, beatings, and one messy accidental killing drive the story, and the camera does not flinch. Violence often arrives suddenly between calm, funny talk. A basement captivity sequence turns cruel and frightening
Language Swearing is near constant, built mostly on the f-word and s-word across…
Swearing is near constant, built mostly on the f-word and s-word across almost every scene. A racial slur is used repeatedly as well. This is wall-to-wall adult language
Sex / nudity Sex comes up often in talk, from affairs to crude jokes, and the film v…
Sex comes up often in talk, from affairs to crude jokes, and the film visits an underground scene full of bondage gear. Nothing is shown explicitly, but the themes are frank and adult. It is more suggestion than skin
Drugs / alcohol Heroin is injected on screen, a character overdoses, and an adrenaline…
Heroin is injected on screen, a character overdoses, and an adrenaline needle to the chest is used to revive her. Cannabis and drink are talked about freely. Drug use is vivid and central, not background
Frightening The overdose scene is panicked and hard to watch, and the basement sequ…
The overdose scene is panicked and hard to watch, and the basement sequence drips with dread. Tension spikes without warning between the talky stretches. The film can turn menacing fast
Sexual violence A man is overpowered and raped in a back room, shown with enough on scr…
A man is overpowered and raped in a back room, shown with enough on screen to be disturbing. It is one of the film's most upsetting stretches. The threat and aftermath are clear
Bullying / discrimination Racial slurs and casual contempt show up in several heated exchanges. T…
Racial slurs and casual contempt show up in several heated exchanges. They sit on the ugly edges of these characters, with no lesson attached. Worth knowing if that language stings at home
Gore / death / weapons A man is shot in a car and the aftermath is bloody and graphic, with th…
A man is shot in a car and the aftermath is bloody and graphic, with the cleanup played partly for dark laughs. Corpses, gunshot wounds, and real firearms feature throughout. A couple of images are strong
Dangerous behaviour The film shows drug injection and a dramatic needle-to-the-heart reviva…
The film shows drug injection and a dramatic needle-to-the-heart revival in detail. Older teens know it is fiction, but the how-to feel of those moments is worth a flag. Nothing is framed as advice
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- The film jumps around in time on purpose. How did that change the way the story landed for you?
- One character talks himself toward leaving the life behind. What do you think finally moves him?
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