Killing Emmett Young (2002)

An Exercise In Nonsense

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I liked the movie. Consider it very psychological. And I don't think that the serial killer does matter. It is just the way of Emmett to express his desire to live and give a trace in the world. He is struggling so hard to solve a murder, knowing that it will be the last thing that he will do. The twist in assassin's head to kill or not to kill is that he himself does not think that he is capable of doing it. He wanted to be a good cop all his life, but he was just an ordinary guy who could not do anything of his life. And when Steven Bracket insults him and tells him those things, he knows that it is true. At the same time he is jealous at young detective, because he is everything that assassin had ever wanted to be. The end is really surprising. We are going back, like in the circle. The normal life continues, and somehow we know what will happen no matter that it is not shown.

It was made in Philly, my hometown, and having Gabriel Byrne plus Tim Roth probably assured some decent acting, but as luck had it, Pam figured out the mistaken diagnosis before the film was 15 minutes old. Thus as I watched the rest of the film develop, I kept thinking in the back of my mind, 'does the Police Health & Welfare Plan rule out second opinions?' Man is told he is going to die soon from an illness, and he doesn't see if the doctor could be mistaken.I read the other reviews where some praise and some damn the film's open end style. In this case I think the writer(s) may simply have run out of inspiration or ideas. Do we want Emmett to go back to his girlfriend, or get involved with his co-worker? Who knows? We will let the viewers decide. What does it mean when Roth can't pull the trigger? Is this some sort of comment on his whole sexual life, or is he granting life in place of the one he took previously? The pose seems almost out of Michaelangelo's Creation on the ceiling at the Sistine. Is failed detective Roth giving the spark of life to the man he just wounded? The questions keep piling up. The serial rapist drives an SUV; so does Emmett? Coincidence? I have played solve the crime board games that were more enlightened than this series of questions.Pam, and another reviewer, commented on the phone conversation between Emmett and Roth. I'd driven past this intersection on April 4th of this year. The camera actually dresses up the area, and while there is a union hiring hall nearby, and the area is less than a mile from police headquarters, the site of two white men standing on that corner meant that it was either just after daylight or an optical illusion. In fact, I found the views of neighborhoods during foot chases eliminated any of the demographics of Philadelphia. The only Black people we see seem to be policemen.

The story follows Detective Emmett Young who finds out that due to a sudden and very rare disease his death will be very soon and very unpleasant. He soon meets someone who offers him a way out. He then puts out a hit on himself that is sent to a former police man and now security guard (Tim Roth). Emmett Young is soon met with another challenge of finding a violent serial killer/rapist within the time of his hit. The story unfolds perfectly with some great character study. From start to finish the story is bleak and dark which blends perfectly with the over all theme. The story also has a surprising and unsettling twist in the middle which gives the movie more tension and well as adds to the protagonists struggles. The use of dialog throughout the story helps set the mood as well as give the audience a truthful look at the 3 main characters. We see what exactly separates Emmett Young from his assassin as well as what can drive someone to make the choice to kill another person. Tim Roth gives a brilliant and chilling performance as a broken former cop who has more reason to kill than just money. Anyone who likes smart story telling as well as fine character performances will enjoy Killing Emmett Young.

The lead actor, Scott Wolf, gives a compelling performance as a detective who believes he will die of a terminal and painful illness. He orders a "hit" on himself from a stranger only to discover the diagnosis was wrong. That would have been a fairly good story, but the rest of the movie falls apart by some rather dumb and nonsensical sub-plots and a poor and ludicrous performance from the grossly over-rated Tim Roth. Do not understand why film-makers when they have an interesting plot spoil it by both over complicating the story line and introducing silly scenes.5 out of 10.