Killer Joe is the story of the troubled and desperate Smith family in west Texas and their increasingly strained relationship with hit man Joe Cooper. Chris Smith is a drug dealer who owes money to more powerful criminals and fears for his life. He hatches a plot to kill his mother Adele for the insurance money that he believes his younger sister Dottie will inherit. The family (Dottie, father Ansel, and Ansel's new wife Sharla) agree and Chris hires Joe Cooper. Joe is a corrupt police officer who moonlights as a contract killer. Joe is menacing and violent. The family fear for their lives when Chris cannot pay Joe his initial payment, but Joe agrees to take Dottie as payment until the insurance money is paid. He moves into the family's trailer and lives with Dottie in a back room, sitting at the family dinner table at night. When Joe kills Adele the insurance money does not come as expected. It is discovered that Adele's boyfriend Rex was the actual beneficiary and that he set this whole plan in motion, duping Chris into hiring Joe to kill Adele but being unable to deal with the consequences. Joe threatens the family and proves that Sharla was part of the plan with Rex, planning to split the money with him. He beats Sharla and makes her perform fellatio on a chicken leg. Joe makes it clear that he will be marrying Dottie and taking her away. The family turns on one another as Chris attacks Joe. Suddenly, Dottie picks up a gun and shoots Chris and Ansel. She informs Joe that she is pregnant and then turns the gun on him.
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Best part of story, including ending:
The plot is exciting and unpredictable. Every twist in genuinely exciting.
Best scene in story:
There is a scene where Dottie reveals that she is not the submissive young girl she seems to be. She is riding in a car with Chris. It's just a remark and a look on her face, but it foreshadows everything that happens in the last act.
Opinion about the main character:
Joe is a deliciously evil character. Matthew McConaughey plays the part with a lot of charisma.
