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88 comments in total

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46 out of 58 people found the following comment useful :-
this movie is awesome, 15 December 2003

Author: Raegan Butcher from Raincity, Pacific Northwest

Killing Zoe played in Seattle theaters for 1 week in August of 1994 and I managed to see it twice. This is one of my all-time favorite films and its savage critical reception has always puzzled me; I find it much more to my taste than Pulp Fiction. I think Roger Avary is one of the most gifted filmmakers to arrive on the scene in the last 20 yrs and I hope that he someday gets the recognition he deserves. Everything about this movie worked for me: the cinematography,the acting, the editing and especially the music. From the first images rushing thru the streets of Paris until the blood-soaked climax, I was mesmerized. I consider myself lucky to have seen it in theaters with a good sound system; I have queried friends who've seen it on DVD/VIDEO and they had a completely different opinion of the film because they had missed key lines of dialog that really go a long way towards investing KILLING ZOE with a certain quintessentially 90's vibe of doomed heroin-soaked romanticism, giving it deeper levels than most people are willing to admit. Without divulging too much, it's the fact that one of the character has AIDS that makes a lot of what happens later not only believable but poignant as well.

I loved this so-called "repulsive" film. I think it's really funny too, in a lunatic sort of way.

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27 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :-
An overlooked bloody gem., 6 March 2001

Author: suzy q123 from United States

I love this movie. I just rented it again, and was not disappointed. Sure, it's bloody (Tarantino produced it) and nihilistic and all that, but it's also got a wonderful sense of anarchy that most films are afraid to commit too. As Emanuel Levy says in his book about independent cinema ("Cinema of Outsiders), "it promises to take off in unexpected directions but it's major distinction is it's gift for hysteria and pompous existentialism." It's all flash and blood and Julie Delphys breasts and guns and just a helluva lot of fun. Great out there performance by Jean-Hugues Anglade as the insane French bank robber and Eric Stoltz as the moral center (!?) of the madness. This film is even more fun when you've had a pint or two beforehand.

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33 out of 46 people found the following comment useful :-
Underrated caper flick. Not a great movie, sure, but still a very good one., 12 May 2003
Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia

'Killing Zoe' is a movie that has grown on me over the years. When I first watched it I didn't think all that much of it, but each time I've seen it since I've liked it a little more, and I'm at the point now where I like it a lot. I don't think it's a GREAT movie, but it's a very good one, and extremely underrated. Roger Avary's connection with Quentin Tarantino has turned out to be more of a hindrance than a help to him. 'Killing Zoe' was frequently dismissed as just another Tarantino clone, which to me is unfair, because a) Avery actually wrote some of 'Reservoir Dogs', 'Pulp Fiction' and 'True Romance' (usually uncredited), and b) though the subject matter of 'Killing Zoe' is similar to say 'Reservoir Dogs', the approach is very different. And let's face it the heist-gone-wrong flick has a long history (the influence of 1950s crime classics 'Rififi', 'Bob Le Flambeur' and/or 'The Killing' on all subsequent variations of it cannot be underestimated), and Tarantino was building on an already established tradition. As well as that the hostage aspect of 'Killing Zoe' brings to mind 'Dog Day Afternoon' more than anything by QT. Anyway, I think this is an interesting movie. The violence is pretty blatant, but apart from that it is a subtle, character driven movie. Eric Stoltz ('Pulp Fiction') and Julie Delpy ('Before Sunrise') are both very good, especially in their first scene together, but the real stand out performance is by Jean-Hughes Anglade ('Betty Blue') who is outstanding. Anglade really makes the movie for me. 'Killing Zoe's reputation seems to be growing as the years go by, and now that the mid-90s Tarantino hype has died down it's about time it was judged on its own merits.

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18 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
See this film for entertainment's sake., 24 June 2003
Author: strangerzero from united states

Killing Zoe (1994) is not groundbreaking but is never-the-less more entertaining than most crap in cinemas these days. This film is a great character study. None of the characters are boring or dull and they all are unique. Anyway, the story goes like this:

Zed (Eric Stoltz) is an American visiting Paris who gets more than he bargained for in his trip. On his first night he meets call-girl Zoe (Julie Delpy) and they pretty much have sex then fall in love. Their bonding is temporarily broken up by Eric (Jean-Hughes Anglade), Zed's old childhood friend who rudely throws a naked Zoe out into the hallway. Eric and Zed catch up on a few things and head down to Eric's place. There, they plan to rob the only bank open on Bastille Day, which is the following day. Zed, Eric, and Eric's crew then have a night on the town: doing drugs, doing more drugs, drinking, and then doing even more drugs. The next day Zed wakes up with a hangover but still has to do the heist. Well, almost everything goes wrong when everybody basically forgets the plan and Eric turns into a psycho. What makes matters even worse for Zed is that Zoe works at the bank and is now held as a hostage. Betrayal, greed, bloody violence, and love ensue.

Eric Stoltz always does a great job in everything he's in. There's no fault in his character and he portrays an extremely funny/cool Zed. Jean-Hughes Anglade nearly steals the show as the murderous sociopath Eric. Julie Delpy is decent as the lovely Zoe. The rest of the cast, especially Gary Kemp, are outstanding.

The violence is pretty bloody, the worst being the last death in the film. There's some splatter and all of the bank scenes are very tense. But that shouldn't drive you away from seeing this movie.

Roger Avary is a great writer/director. I especially enjoyed his work on The Rules of Attraction (2002). The editing for Killing Zoe is fantastic, as is the music supplied by tomandandy.

So see this film for entertainment's sake. It's got great character developments and bloody violence (if you're in to that stuff). While no masterpiece, I give Killing Zoe a 7 out of 10.

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23 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :-
KILLING ZOE: not your usual trendy pap, 18 October 1998
Author: Giovanni Arduino (giarduin@tin.it) from Italy

Much hated by Tarantino-lovin' geeks who often haven't even bothered to see it, KILLING ZOE is a nasty and hilarious gem, lacking much of Quentin's trademark video clerk snottines n' know-it-all nerdy attitude. Combining elements of old French noir flicks with a true nihilistic slant, Avary's flick is a true avant-pop classic.

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19 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :-
Attention-Grabbing French Crime Film, 21 March 2006

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

A rough and sometimes sordid movie is a short way to summarize this film. It's about a no-nonsense gang of drugged-out French thieves whose bank robbery attempt backfires into a bloody mess.

For those who object, be warned there are a fair amount of subtitles in here and a lot of f-words. This was a tough gang, and the lead characters are pretty grubby, they aren't really very likable people.

I like Jean-Hughes Anglade's accent and I always like ogling Julie Delpy, although I've seen her look better. The city of Paris looked good with some nice shots in the beginning and at the end of the movie.

Anglade, as the leader of the gang, was brutal but fascinating. My only complaint was the film was too sordid in spots (drugs, language and attitude). but overall, an entertaining crime film. It gets your attention and keeps it.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
brilliant acting, 3 July 2005

Author: jemmakellett from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

i thought this film was absolutely brilliant, and only for one reason only, because of jean Hugues anglade. he is easily the best actor in the world and i would rank him in the same category as Robert De niro and Al pacino, in fact i think hes better!!! killing Zoe was a rather empty film i thought at times the relationship between Zoe and zed was weird, how could they really be in love when they hardly knew each other and he didn't even intervene when Eric threw her out of his apartment!!! thought that was strange, they should really have called Zoe by a different name as when you buy the movie you think that Julie delpy's character ''Zoe'' has a lot to do with the film but in fact she hardly features, because ''Zoe'' means ''life'' in Greek, so the title of the film just means ''killing life''! other than that i enjoyed killing Zoe souly because of anglade he truly steals the show, and is one of the most profound actors I've ever came across, the film should be seen to see him!!!! fabulous actor.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
A GREAT Movie!, 8 January 1999
Author: Robert-53

Compared to the endless tiresome shoot-em-ups like the Schwarzeneggar--Stallone--Seagal type flicks, this movie shows style, class, and sensuality. A tense, edge-of-your-seat movie where for a change you DON'T know how it's going to end. The only flaw in the film is that it has a very low-budget quality with no real scenes outside in France, except at the very beginning at the airport. Everything else looks done in some studio with a few scenic shots tossed in, like a tv show that can't really go abroad and look authentic. But this movie is well worth renting--and beats 90% of the manufactured, formula plastic films next to it on the video shelf. An 8.5 out of 10.

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6 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Viva La Difference. Meet The Real Reservoir Dogs !!!, 19 August 1999
Author: Epiphany from Chicago, Illinois

This is a movie that you just happen upon one day without knowing what it is about but figure the name allows at least 10 minutes just for curiosity. Than it hooks you! Imagine Eric Stolz an American in Paris so to speak A reunion is to take place with his old friend. Sounds sweet? Well their friendship is anything but normal as the two lead men are.They embark on a nonstop wild trip to pull off a heist and lets say that this is one very bad acid trip of a gig. Stolz is initiated to who his crew will be and if he survives the night before the job, the rest lets say is a piece of quiche. This gritty almost can smell the stench in the air French great independent film is very much worth watching for there is never a moment of calm. Does Zoe get killed ? Who is Zoe? I thought Jean-Hugues Anglade was absolutely captivating as the totally violent drug crazed Eric. This is an actor that just really should get more work. He monopolizes every scene. I thought it was one of the coolest films and I just fell upon it. I have watched it several times since. It's definitively one to look into. It holds up against alot big budget action films with a dirty thrilling heart pounding rhythm mixed with excellent writing and cast.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Over-boiled French Thriller, 23 February 2008

Author: gcd70 from Melbourne, Australia

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Quentin Tarantino's partner in crime Roger Avary (co-writer on "Pulp Fiction") ventures out on his own (Q.T. goes exec. prod. this time) for this over-boiled French thriller.

Eric Stoltz is Zed, safe cracker extraordinaire who has drifted over to France from the U.S. at the request of an old friend. There he teams up with a motley crew of drugged out hippies who, with little or no planning, think they can knock off a bank vault full of gold bullion on a French national holiday.

Avary has reworked the robbery gone wrong theme that Tarantino developed so well in "Reservoir Dogs", only "Killing Zoe" is not good enough to survive on the strength of this alone, so Avary has thrown in a rather beautiful distraction. Julie Delpy is Zoe, a student come call girl who entertains Zed on his arrival in Paris. A stunning distraction she certainly is, but nothing more.

I guess our director wanted to add a different angle to this basic theme, but sadly the move did not help to add the depth his shallow plot so desperately needed. There was never a story in this idea, which was nothing more than that, an idea. Even the surreal journey into the seedy dives of Paris is uninspiring. I figure one would have to concede that there was never much of a movie in the story of a bunch of gangsters shooting each other up over a botched jewellery heist either, that is until you add intricate characters and snappy dialogue. "Reservoir Dogs" had it, "Killing Zoe" did not.

Stoltz's strong interpretation of the doubtful Zed and Jean Hughes-Anglade's mad portrayal of the obsessive ring leader do nothing to lift proceedings. In short, Avary has unsuccessfully attempted to conjure entertainment out of nothing.

Friday, September 15, 1995 - Astor Theatre

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