After a robbery takes place at a mob-related poker game, professional enforcer Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) is hired to look into it. Director Andrew Dominik reunited with Pitt from The Assassination of Jesse Jamesā¦ (2007) for a gangster movie with ambitions. Exactly what those are remains unclear; frequent attempts to tie the story to the Great Recession in 2008 are half-baked. The cast delivers, as expected, but many of the conversations and snazzy, sadistic visuals feel like random distractions without much purpose.Ā
2012-U.S. 97 min. Color. Widescreen.Ā Written and directed byĀ Andrew Dominik.Ā Novel:Ā George V. Higgins (“Cogan’s Trade”).Ā Cast:Ā Brad Pitt (Jackie Cogan), Scoot McNairy (Frankie), Ben Mendelsohn (Russell),Ā Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Ray Liottaā¦ Sam Shepard.
Trivia: Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem and Sam Rockwell were allegedly considered for roles. The character of Cogan also makes an appearance in The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973).
