Share and Follow
Since the 1990s, Brad Pitt has remained a dominant force in Hollywood, a rare actor whose mere name can attract audiences to theaters. Studios are willing to invest heavily to have him lead their projects, with reports indicating he earned $30 million for the upcoming 2025 racing drama “F1.” Pitt has starred in some of the most memorable thrillers, such as the 1995 classic “Seven,” a standout film of its decade. However, not all of his acclaimed works have been box office successes. One such underrated gem is the 2012 hitman movie “Killing Them Softly.”
The Weinstein Company
Directed by Andrew Dominik, “Killing Them Softly” reunites him with Pitt, following their collaboration on the 2007 revisionist Western “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.” The film features a talented ensemble cast including Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, James Gandolfini, and Ray Liotta. In this film, Pitt plays Jackie Cogan, a hitman for the mafia tasked with handling the chaos after three petty criminals rob a mob poker game, making off with a hefty sum. Cogan’s strict personal code suggests he might need another hitman to help wrap up the situation.
The movie draws inspiration from George V. Higgins’ novel “Cogan’s Trade.” So why the change in title? Director Andrew Dominik offers a straightforward reason. “Brad’s character calls what he does ‘killing them softly’ — with a minimum of fuss,” Dominik explained to USA Today. “It sounded like a movie title to me. ‘Cogan’s Trade’ kind of sounds like a Clint Eastwood title from 1972.” The book’s original release in 1974 might have influenced this decision. Ultimately, Dominik sought a title that felt modern and aligned with the film’s updated setting, focusing on Cogan’s ethical principles as a hitman.
Unlike many films that employ working titles to maintain secrecy (a tactic studios like Marvel frequently use), Dominik had a unique rationale for concealing the actual title during production. The director worried that if Pitt knew the true title, it might affect his delivery of the pivotal line referencing it. “There’s a danger that the actor might make a meal out of the line,” Dominik noted. He aimed for Pitt’s delivery to be subtle and not draw attention to itself, which was achieved. While the movie didn’t resonate with mainstream audiences, it was well-received by critics, earning a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a 74% score.
The movie’s real title was kept a secret from Brad Pitt
The Weinstein Company/Melinda Sue Gordon
“Killing Them Softly” is based on the George V. Higgins novel “Cogan’s Trade.” So why didn’t the movie carry the same title? Well, director Andrew Dominik has a pretty simple explanation. “Brad’s character calls what he does ‘killing them softly’ — with a minimum of fuss,” Dominik told USA Today. “It sounded like a movie title to me. ‘Cogan’s Trade’ kind of sounds like a Clint Eastwood title to me from 1972.” The book was first published in 1974, so that could be why. But, ultimately, he wanted a title that felt more contemporary to match the film’s updated era — as well as focus on Jackie Cogan’s personal code of hitman ethics.
Unlike some films that use working titles (a practice that studios like Marvel have adopted to keep their projects tightly under wraps), Dominik had a very different reason for keeping the real title of his thriller a secret during filming. According to the director, he feared that if Brad Pitt knew the real name of the movie, it might have impacted the way he delivered the line that references it. “There’s a danger that the actor might make a meal out of the line,” Dominik said. He wanted Pitt’s delivery to be understated and not self-referential, and that’s exactly what happened. Sadly, general audiences didn’t vibe with the film, but most critics loved it — “Killing Them Softly” is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 74%.
