Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- sardonic
- grotesque
- oppressive
- late night viewing
- dark movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a brisk, stylish, and thrilling black comedy elevated by committed performances, while noting its cruel caricatures and extreme sexual violence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chris hires Joe to kill his mother, then offers Dottie as collateral when he cannot pay the fee.
Chris, Ansel, Sharla, and Dottie participate in or endure a murder-for-insurance scheme driven by debt and betrayal.
The Smith family's trailer home, foul-mouthed behavior, criminal desperation, and humiliating confrontations define the film's atmosphere.
The Texas setting, predatory detective-for-hire, family dysfunction, and severe sexualized violence combine crime noir with southern gothic excess.
Films like Killer Joe, and why
The Grifters
Shares dysfunctional family dynamics, rural criminal desperation, corrosive ambition, and pitch-black comedy.
The Ice Harvest
Combines neo-noir crime, volatile family relationships, sexual menace, and bleakly comic moral corruption.
Red Rock West
Shares trailer-park criminality, grotesque black humor, escalating violence, and characters trapped by bad deals.
The Last House on the Left
Matches the film's exploitation edge, dysfunctional family cruelty, sexual humiliation, and claustrophobic crime plotting.
Movie Details
- Director
- William Friedkin
- Release Date
- 2012-06-07
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (1633)
Cast
- Matthew McConaughey
- Emile Hirsch
- Juno Temple
- Thomas Haden Church
- Gina Gershon
- Marc Macaulay
- Gralen Bryant Banks
- Carol Sutton
- Danny Epper
- Jeff Galpin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Killer Joe about?
- A debt-ridden Texas family hires a police detective who moonlights as a killer, only to discover that criminal bargains can consume everyone involved.
- What is Killer Joe like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Killer Joe as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Killer Joe violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Killer Joe as graphic.
- What did critics think of Killer Joe?
- Critics broadly found the film a brisk, stylish, and thrilling black comedy elevated by committed performances, while noting its cruel caricatures and extreme sexual violence.
- Which films are like Killer Joe?
- Films with a similar feel include The Grifters, The Ice Harvest, Red Rock West, and The Last House on the Left.
- How long is Killer Joe?
- Killer Joe runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Killer Joe?
- In United States, Killer Joe streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
