Take an interesting, complicated, crazy, and somber ride through the 1940s counterculture with the film "Kill Your Darlings." The movie is directed by John Krokidas and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Michael C. Hall, Dane DeHaan, and Ben Foster. "Kill Your Darlings" premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Utah and also had a showing in New York City. The film should open wide some time in the fall.
"Kill Your Darlings" is part coming - of - age film (told through the eyes of Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe) during his brief time at Colombia) and part murder mystery. One year sets Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Lucien Carr on the course to becoming the writers of their generation. Director John Krokidas demonstrates their story by crafting a visually stunning film. As Ginsberg grows closer to forgoing his conformist life at Columbia and starts to embrace the lure of DeHaan's Lucien Carr, the mise en scene changes wonderfully to reflect this. Krokidas experimented with different kinds of shots, lighting, and mood that rightly sets the tone for a film about the Beats.
Furthermore, Krokidas and his casting director Laura Rosenthal brought together a fantastic cast who work well off each other. Michael C. Hall and Daniel Radcliffe convincingly play two men desperately in love with DeHaan's Carr and he knows exactly how to play them off one another. It's easy to see why Ginsberg and David Kammerer (Hall) would be so devoted to Lucien.
Still, "Kill Your Darlings" is not without its faults. It's a little pretentious and audiences may find themselves rolling their eyes at all the unnecessary angst in the Beats' lives. Yet, one thing the film does right is make the viewer care anyway especially about these men who are so frustratingly complicated. Make a note to see "Kill Your Darlings' this fall, Hartford.
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