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Making A Killing (2018) is written and directed by Devin Hume; stars Michael Jai White, Mike Starr, Jude Moran; and features Christopher Lloyd and Sally Kirkland. It’s a crime drama, murder mystery based on a true story though names have been changed to disguise the guilty and make a catchier main character name but what’s in a name, right? The movie is better than expected largely due to Michael Jai White and solid performances from the supporting cast.
Arthur Herring (Starr) is a man of many hats: mayor, priest, and mortician in a small town somewhere in New Mexico. The problem is, Arthur and his brother Vincent (Moran) are not all that they seem and that all starts to unravel when fellow mortician, Lloyd Mickey (Lloyd), is let out of prison after serving time for being a sex offender. In reality Mickey left some of his treasured items with the Herring boys and now he wants them back. The Herring Bros. have other ideas and begin to make shady deals to get rid of weird Mickey’s loot.
Shortly after, those transactions and interactions are completed, Mickey is found dead, which brings in the “big guns.” A state investigator, Orlando Hudson (Jai White), arrives to clear up the details that surrounded Mickey’s murder. Orlando immediately begins to round up people he views as potential suspects. His big-city ways are worrying the Riley (Jack Forcinito), chief of police, who is preoccupied with maintaining quiet in his town. After filtering out a number of townsfolk by housing them in the local jail, Orlando settles on the Herrings and starts to figure out just how deeply intertwined their lives are.
Making a Killing begins with a quite chaotic, and often a little dull 30 minutes of its allocated 106 minutes. The moment Michael Jai White arrives on screen, the film’s direction becomes clearer and clearer, in a positive way. I personally, like many, do not mind a slow buildup to a clearly defined story, but this left me feeling a little lost, and reminded me of an awful attempt at Memento. After the half-way marker, the film transforms into something decent as the plot starts to unravel.
Seeing some pieces of the plot, which is based on a true story, unfold on screen was quite enjoyable for me. It was rather clever to use the name Herring, especially when we find out the brothers’ entire stay in the town was a giant red herring. Moreover, setting up Mickey’s crime as a forehint to the twist in the end was a clever touch.
Making a Killing is certainly saved by Michael Jai White and his cool, calm, no-nonsense figure as the tough guy. Adding Jack Forcinito is Riley, the Chief, was a good choice as he counterbalances Orlando’s city cop attitude and gives him a different understanding of “to protect and serve.” Christopher Lloyd’s role is small and odd, but that is exactly how the character is. Sally Kirkland tries desperately to make an impact, but as a name on the marquee, she may as well be any mother. Mike Starr always captivates the screen and here as Arthur Herring, the mastermind of the scam, delivers a great performance. Jude Moran as Vincent does well as the meek, unappreciated “brother” who ends up suffering the most due to Arthur’s hustling.
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