For some reason, we start with two girls in their late teens who are professional contract killers. Okay, it seems unreasonable, but let's go with it for now. They have the affectation of much younger girls - they ride tricycles, play patty cakes, eat lollipops, and are obsessed with getting a dress that they saw in a magazine and take a contract to kill someone just so they can pay for it.
The tone of this movie is the most noteworthy thing. It's kind of what you might expect if Tim Burton directed Leon: the Professional. Everything is kind of stylized with an intentional fairy tale kind of feel to it not completely unlike Edward Scissorhands, but with a bit more reality infused into it and a whole lot more blood.
Saoirse Ronan plays the younger of the duo, the blonde-haired Daisy. While both of the girls play major roles, Daisy is really the focal point of the movie. We learn about he views on life and her personal struggles as the movie progresses. She accidentally befriends her intended victim, and she gets a solid rapport going with him where they share secrets with each other. It has kind of a father/daughter vibe to it, and that is bolstered by the fact that the target has a daughter about the same age as the girls.
Alexis Bledel plays the straight-banged, cold-blooded, seasoned veteran, Violet. She had a partner before, and she got shot. So, she's on her newest partner. All of the killers who work for this particular guy are rated and given a number. Violet is #8, and Daisy is #9. Even though Daisy is the senior killer, she looks for input from Violet on some of the more mundane tasks, and she'll even acquiesce on decisions about how or when to kill someone.
Danny Trejo and Marianne Jean-Baptiste have bit roles as people who work for the boss. Danny hands out assignments, and Marianne plays #1 - the best of the assassins. We don't see either of them for very long, but they both do a good job with the brief roles that they have.
James Gandolfini plays the target. He would go on to film movies for another two years before his death in 2013. In this role, he is a troubled man who has a strained relationship with his daughter, and he intentionally upsets criminals in the hopes of stirring up trouble. When he talks to each of the girls, we see different aspects of his character being brought out by the nature of the girls themselves. He did a really good job with his role.
Directing was very good
Acting was good
Cinematography was very good
Story was okay
Dialog was good
3.0/5