Kill Your Friends

I did not know a great deal about Kill Your Friends, didn't even say a trailer. If you are planning to see this movie then don't because what results is a shocking lock into the life of a failing music producer and the lengths he will take to become a success in a harsh industry. A pitch black comedy with a story that was actually a lot more interesting than it sounds.

Nicolas Hoult takes on the lead role, which was the first thing that worried me. The guy is a brilliant actor and in my opinion was the definitive standout as Nux in this summer's Mad Max Fury Road, but its very rare, if ever that we see him in a lead role. In this film, he takes the role and makes it his own which turns out is a very good thing because he made this movie about half of what was enjoyable. From the title you know that this guy is on the edge and could snap at any moment and Hoult makes this so believable. We also get a smaller role from a drugged up James Corden which felt so weird but so right. Every scene we see him in he is snorting cocaine and doing things his regular persona on TV wouldn't dream of. So props to Corden for managing to actually pull this off.

My absolute favourite thing about this movie however, is the soundtrack. We open with Blur's Beetlebum and if you know me you'll know im a real sucker for Britpop so i was happy to hear this and other artists i grew up with throughout including Oasis. The film explores different types of music perfectly,so i can say i am satisfied with that aspect. The black comedy aspect was slightly in your face at times with a police officer character in particular who is so dumb that you just question why he is even on this case, but then you figure out sort of why he is oblivious to this, whether or not intentional by the filmmakers.

Overall, a good British film which deserves more attention than it is getting. I can see where negative reviews may come from especially since the graphic violence sort of comes at you out of nowhere at first. But i recommend seeing this one, don't listen to the terrible reviews and judge for yourself.

The movie is all about Steven Stefox (played by Nicholas Hoult), a guy working in the music industry, as a guy that is supposed to discover and sign new bands. He's not very good at his job, so he tries other ways to achieve his goals. I'm not sure why it's also categorized as a comedy because you won't laugh one bit. It's more a crime story with a lot of drugs and a narrating voice describing what to do to make it in the music industry. It's entertaining to watch. Steven is a narcissistic person, addicted to fancy drugs, and doing everything it takes to make it to the top. There are no likable characters in the movie but that's not the point. They are all career driven and very egoistic. Since it is about the music industry you have a lot of tunes, some good ones but also bad ones. It's not a bad movie even though I saw better similar ones.

Pretty slick dark comedy a bit similar to American Psycho but set in the British music-scene circa 1997 about a A&R man who'll do anything to get a new hit.

Nicholas Hoult does really well in the lead I thought, doing something really different to anything I've seen him in before which mostly have been American films.

It doesn't have any likable characters but it doesn't really need to, that's not really what this movie is about after all it's a (extreme) satire on the music-business and if you are aware of the 90's music-scene you can easily tell some groups that are being poked fun of, but mostly it's about the people behind the scenes.

I can't really say too much more about it than that as I might end up spoiling something, but yeah it's a pretty cool flick, fairly fast paced and with a rocking 90's soundtrack to match.

I loved the book. The book is laugh-out-loud funny. The problem with this cinematic adaptation is that there are only a few laugh-out-loud moments. Tone is the problem. The opening sets up the tone as dark and unpleasant and the main character as thoroughly unlikeable. We have to spend an hour and a half with this guy? It's like having to sit beside a racist drunk on a night bus. But it's hard to not like Nicholas Hoult (and the scathing honesty of his character) and the film did grow on me - perhaps like a tumour. There are moments of brilliance and a few great lines (no pun intended) but ultimately the buzz doesn't quite feel worth it.

People who have written bad, simple minded reviews have no idea what they are talking about.

The book is the one book I couldn't take reading, it's a lot more cynical and black, but the style is very cool, as all books by Nivel. They are fast, they are black, they are pop literature. So, that this movie is based on a contemporary bestseller known for it's incredible dark style should be a clue.

Second - the actors are such a cool choice, not only the lead character, but also Moritz Bleitreu, e. g. and others. Look them up, if you don't know any European actors.

Third - music choices were great! Partly a kind of parody on that British happy-happy-jump-jump Techno _from the 90ies_ but also very fitting: The Prodigy and others from that time. Lots and lots of other very funny parodies, loved the girl band with the strings.

4. Worcaholism and Drug use in London, career pressure, etc. are not unrealistic at all, nothing unusual shown, people kicking others out, going through their things, etc. (well I hope the murders are not normal).

Finally - British Pop Culture, and British Black Comedy. This should have given the final clue. Don't watch it if you don't like the genre.