Matthew McConaughey has an incredibly varied filmography ranging from romcoms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past to major roles in hits like The Wolf of Wall Street and The Dallas Buyers Club.

However, one of his darkest roles came in 2011, when the Oscar-winning star featured in Killer Joe, which was based on the 1993 play of the same name by Tracy Letts. The film was well received by critics upon its release, scooping awards at The Saturn Awards and Venice Film Festival.

The movie was one of the final films directed by legendary director William Friedkin, who died in 2023. The late director was known works including The Exorcist and The French Connection, the latter of which won five Academy Awards.

Despite its accolades, Killer Joe isn’t a film that immediately jumps to mind when one thinks of Matthew’s roles, potentially due to its 18-age rating over its graphic content. However, if you’re interested in the movie, it’s currently available to stream on Prime Video.

The synopsis reads: “A cop (Matthew McConaughey) who moonlights as a hit man agrees to kill the hated mother of a desperate drug dealer (Emile Hirsch) in exchange for a tumble with the young man’s virginal sister (Juno Temple).”

Fan and critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, Killer Joe holds an 80% approval rating from critics, although this falls to just 61% when it comes to general audiences. The consensus on the site reads: “Violent, darkly comic, and full of strong performances, Killer Joe proves William Friedkin hasn’t lost his touch, even if the plot may be too lurid for some.”

In a three-star review for Empire, Ian Nathan penned: “Family dysfunction to make Jeremy Kyle blush, but thanks to McConaughey’s oily power and Friedkin’s unflinching purpose it’s a compelling beast.”

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The star won Best Actor at the Saturn Awards for his role in the film

One fan said: “Equal parts hilarious, vile, and demented, elevated by top-notch performances across the board led by a magnetic McConaughey,” while a second added: “It’s a nasty movie, and treats the characters like trash. A very cynical outlook on humanity and you may not stomach all that happens. The sexual politics aren’t going to please many people, and it is a discomforting film. Yet it is still very well written and uncomfortably involving. The acting is top notch, and the pace is well done with good twists.”

In a more negative review, a third wrote: “If you think this is a mystery suspense about a killer, don’t waste your time. If you have 102 minutes to kill and care nothing for character development, plot, or consistency and have a crude sense of humour, then this is right up your alley.

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The film’s graphic content divided viewers

Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “I only review this to warn people who expect a well-done dark thriller you will have to sit through a tedious one-dimensional movie with a very violent debatable end, don’t trust the high score on this… it’s maybe one of those polarizing movies you either hate or like.”

Killer Joe’s cast

Leading the cast is Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey as ‘Killer Joe’, a corrupt cop also working as a contract killer. Also featured in the cast are Emile Hirsch (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Chris Smith, a drug dealer with a large debt.

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Matthew led a star-studded cast

The cast is completed by Juno Temple (Ted Lasso), Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), Gina Gershon (Riverdale) and Marc Macaulay (Edward Scissorhands).