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Small Town Killers

Name: Small Town Killers
Director: Ole Bornedal
Released: 2017
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

5.6/10

Fair

2017

Not Rated

Director

Ole Bornedal

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Small Town Killers is a dark, satirical comedy that thrives on subverting social norms rather than broadening its demographic scope. Despite a lack of racial and LGBTQ+ diversity, the film provides a biting critique of traditional Western institutions and domestic stability. By portraying the male characters as bumbling and ineffective, the film shifts the narrative control to the wives, who then drive the story's increasing chaos. Overall, the film's strength lies in its cynical dismantling of provincial life and the erosion of traditional authority, even though it remains largely homogeneous in its casting.

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Category Breakdown

Does Small Town Killers have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film adheres to a traditional focus on heterosexual relationships and does not include any queer narratives or non-cisgender identities.

How does Small Town Killers portray gender?

Good

The film turns traditional gender roles upside down by taking away the male characters' control over the story. While the husbands start the action, the wives take over and become the main forces driving the chaos.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Small Town Killers?

Limited

The cast is mostly made up of people from the same background, reflecting the film's Danish setting. There is a Russian character, but he is used mainly as a plot device rather than a character with a developed identity.

How does Small Town Killers represent religion and culture?

Good

The film stands out by challenging traditional Western values. It mocks conventional ideas like marriage and family, instead focusing on a more flexible moral code based on individual situations.

Does Small Town Killers include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any characters with visible or invisible disabilities as central figures or explore their experiences in depth.

Present on Screen

Turns traditional gender roles upside down by making the wives the dominant forces in the story.
Offers a sharp, satirical critique of Western social institutions and the sanctity of marriage.
Shows the male characters as inept and powerless, while the wives take charge.

Limited or Absent

Does not include meaningful representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender narratives.
Features a predominantly homogeneous cast with minimal racial or ethnic diversity.
Does not explore or feature characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

The two tradesmen Ib and Edward are tired of their lifeless marriages and dream of living the good life from the stash of money they've earned moonlighting for years. After a huge fight with their wives the two men get drunk and hire a Russian contract killer to do a hit on their spouses. But they have badly underestimated their wives, and this becomes the start of an absurd journey where Ib and Edward to their own horror end at the top of a kill list.

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