The Kill Room, a movie with the wrong name

The Relatable Watchlist: Blog Post #2 

Casey Binge 29/01/2025

Today I am writing about a movie that both disappointed me and surprised me. When I thought about what movie I should talk about first, this film immediately came to mind. The 2023 movie the kill room should have been Uma Thurman's glorious and sophisticated return to Hollywood GOAT-dome (like she ever left). The first thing I thought when watching this movie was man Uma looks great, when was the last time I saw her in something?

Then I watched the film, loved it then was upset it didn't receive much praise. If not for being a random film popping up on a lazy night with my partner that we said this will do to, I would never have been able to experience this film. To preface... If indie-esque movies aren't your thing probably give it a miss. However, if you like something mundane but inquisitive give it a go. I think some of the poor reviews came from the fact that the cast promises something for the top 100. But lets face it, no one wants to watch no country for old men, the godfather, taxi driver, or any other heavy, classically magnificent film every day. There is a quiet satisfaction I find from watching an actor you love play a role in a film that doesn't make the lists they often adorn. Much like Meryl Streep in She-devil (love it) or Danny DeVito in the ratings game. 

I titled this post "The kill room, a movie with the wrong name" because frankly the name screams horror flick which leads potential watchers to move on. You may be surprised to find that it is in fact a dark comedy thriller. In fact I am surprised still, since its not funny enough to be a comedy (it has its moments), and it doesn't have enough suspense for a thriller. It is however dark in its own right. To give a brief rundown, Umas character Patrice plays an art dealer who is broke, with a drug habit. She can't seem to move any art from her gallery or precure successful pieces to sell. She is approached by Samuel L. Jacksons character who is a crime boss, who offers to launder money through her business by selling art that his hitman makes. Unexpectantly, the art becomes very successful despite not being initially very good. They definitely hit home with the message that the art world is pretty bs and that it has become a name game for the rich who just want investments. While the message is not subtle, Joe Manganiellos character is. He  delivers a very raw performance outside his magic mike stardom which i enjoyed. 

I don't want to spoil the film but the ending is satisfying. Nothing more annoying than loving most of a movie and watching the ending and going WTF was that? I am not really a movie critic so I don't intend to squander over all the nitty gritty details. Its a relaxing film that I enjoyed. It's simple, on the nose, surprising at times and nice memory. 

I will leave it at that. 

Yours at 1 am in the morning and thinking I should sleep, 

Casey Binge