

Overall, the film is just a giant snorefest despite a handful of good performances, especially Dane DeHaan as Carr. In my opinion, the film would have been much more powerful if the characters were wrestling internally with their sexual orientation, instead of leering salaciously at each other throughout the duration.Ī murder does takes place in the story but it's very much on the periphery rather than being the integral part of the story that it should be. Perhaps they were that way in reality, but considering the events in the story took place at a time when homosexuality was not just taboo but forbidden! I'm sure the entire point of the Beat Generation school of literature was to express their lifestyle choices through their writing. One of the biggest faults I found with the film was how openly gay Ginsberg & Carr's characters were. The only real rebellion they participate in on-screen is stealing the university's library keys to put banned works like Lady Chatterely's Lover on display. Burroughs & Jack Kerouac as they plan to go against the grain of conventional prose and indulge themselves in a new wave of literature.įor the most part, the film plays out like Fight Club at Columbia University, except there's no fights, there's no conflict and there's no real drama, just a group of rather unpleasant, self-obsessed characters talking pretentiously and marvelling in their own genius.
#Kill your darlings online movie
With a title like 'Kill Your Darlings' I was expecting a much more taut, thrilling and dramatic film about a real-life murder.īased on a true story, the movie focuses on the rise of the 'Beat Generation' writers Allen Ginsberg, Lucien Carr, William S. I don't see why anyone has an issue with modern music and sound effects being used in a period movie - what a terribly quaint and puritanical attitude! This film is WAY better at portraying him than others I have watched.īut this film stands on its own - though, in reality, these beat poets were really up themselves! This movie is more interesting than much of their dire pretentious poetry, for sure. Other characters too stand out - the cold fish spoilt rich kid Burroughs and Kerouac's testosterone-pumping thrust of a performance.

The period detail is interesting not sure how much the characters are true to life though.īut I never knew how that event inspired an early Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs novel.įull marks to Radcliffe for his performance Dane DeHaan plays the Bosie characters to an older guy's Oscar Wilde, and not sure how true to what really happened all that is anyway. It's well-scripted, well-acted and recounts the little-known tale of a murder within the beat poets clique in the 1940s. Hall, Jack Huston, Ben Foster, David Cross, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Elizabeth Olsen, John Cullum, Brenda Wehle, Erin Darke, Craig Chester, Lenore Harris, Mark Ethan, Zach Appelman, David Rasche, Quinlan Corbett, Dawn Newman, Clancy O'Connor, Jon DeVries Directors: John Krokidas Producers: Michael Benaroya, Rose Ganguzza, John Krokidas, Christine Vachon Writers: Austin Bunn Studio: Universal Pictures Genres: Drama Actors: Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Michael C. However, for all their creativity, their very appetites and choices lead them into a murder investigation that would have a major impact on their lives forever. Together, this gang would explore bold new literary ideas that would challenge the sensibilities of their time as the future Beat Generation. Ginsberg strikes up friendships with aspiring writers William Burroughs (Ben Foster) and Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston), whilst falling under the spell of charismatic Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan).

For Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) - Columbia University, is Mecca - a portal to art, intellect, culture and freedom.
