Glad to hear he is actually in the movie too, thanks for the info of the film Whimsy! I can't wait to see it, still no signs it will arrive here but we'll see

Yes I suppose his accent was cockney. 

I was more pleased than disappointed with the movie over all because Stelfox in the book made my skin crawl but in the movie he is more humorous than anything else.  The humor really comes through.  That's not to say that I wasn't disappointed in a few things.  This is where I'll put some stuff in spoilers.  PLEASE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! 

How they toned it down:

Spoiler

There was lots of coke and pills and alcohol use shown, but beyond that their parties weren't outrageous.  No masturbating or blowjobs or orgies.  Actually there is virtually no sex/sexual references in the movie.  The only time they show sex is at the end, Rebecca and the detective, and it's just a hint of it.  None of the constant porn in Stelfox's head.  I don't even think they said the word pornography when Parker-Hall is arrested.  No sodomizing of Roger.  There are a couple times they show Stelfox's computer screen with some cartoons of men having sex with his work collegues's faces pasted on.  The girl in the trailer who's breasts are showing is the only nudity, besides shots of thongs showing from the really awful girl group.

Language:

Spoiler

Not a single "oi" said. (which in the book seemed to be every other word uttered.) Profanity wasn't over the top.  

Ross scenes: 

Spoiler

As I said before, Damien's character appears about 8ish times.  Seemed more than 5, but less than 10.  Screen time is probably less than a minute each scene.  He mostly just says a few lines, like telling them in a meeting that their song isn't a hit on the radio, or conversely, telling them when something is a hit.  Or stating the obvious.  In one scene when they wake up from a binge, Trellick gathers them to say the firm had hired Parker-Hall.  Ross turns to Stelfox, laughed hysterically and says "he's your boss!" But the funny thing about his character is he's always the one enthusiastically pulling out the baggie of drugs saying "screw it, let's just party".

To answer Rosie's question about dance moves:

Spoiler

There are no dance moves.  This was my biggest disappointment.  As previewed in the trailer, they pretty much just show them jumping up and down en masse.  The camera captures Damien howling and jumping enthusiastically twice and that's it. 

One plot point that really isn't a spoiler and I thought was a good move was that Rebecca in the book blackmails Stelfox about killing Roger because she wants to marry him.  But in the movie, she does it for a job.  Rebecca in the movie is much more savvy/ambitious, and I liked her.

Kill Your Friends review via Cultbox TV

‘Kill Your Friends’ movie review: Has the power to amuse, shock and repulse

"the result is nowhere near as gleefully deranged or faecally fixated as the original, it retains enough of the insane, sparkling awfulness to make for an entertaining movie with the power to amuse, shock and repulse – frequently in the same scene."

"The violence is bloody enough and disturbing enough to leave an impression that lingers long after the strains of ‘Beetlebum and ‘Block Rockin’Beats’ have faded."

Liking the cultbox review.  The music mentioned is all stuff which regularly comes up on my playlist!  The whole review makes me wonder if this will particularly appeal to a British audience.  

Thanks for the extra info whimsy!  I agree with domino - I'm glad that they changed Rebecca's motivation to ambition rather than it revolving around him - that too much confirmed his own opinion of himself and women!

I am so not surprised how it's been toned down!  But gutted about the dance moves.  Still looking foward to seeing it tho.....

Kill Your Friends opens at cinemas across UK & Ireland today!

And, our Kill Your Friends POLL is now open!!

If you have seen the film..

 VOTE in the POLL above 

 share your reactions in the comments below 

Awesome to see some votes in our poll for Damo's very first feature film, thanks for voting whimsy and 'anon'

So far, it looks like forumers reactions reflect the reviews - mixed! If any film was going to divide the audience it was going to be this one and I must admit, I am not sure the film as a whole will be getting 5 stars from me, but I feel much better about it after hearing Damien's interview on hoping we don't take it to seriously as the film doesn't take itself too seriously. Plus all the clips I've seen een the outrageous bits have been hilarious. So I am going into it as a cathartic thing, like an unleashing of pure debauchery and a detoxing ! Really excited to see it and hope I can keep my eyes on the screen throughout.. I am a total wuss when it comes to bloody violence.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Stelfox / Nic Hoult whimsy, again Ive not yet seen so can't really comment yet but I do wonder how well you can connect with the characters and invest when there is so much voiceover that breaks the immersion. if that makes sense.

Thanks for sharing your views guys!  Interesting reading - I've read so many reviews that have been so contradictory it's hard to know what to think.  But I'm finally off to see this for myself in a couple of hours!  I have taken everyone's comments on board, but will obviously go with an open mind. And I'm still stupidly excited to be going to see Damo's first feature film appearance.  I'll let you all know what I made of it later....

Thanks!  I'm sure I will

Enjoy fifi!

Yes, I have to admit, that while I thought everyone was good in the film (despite mostly vast limits in what they had the option of doing) I wasn't entirely sure Nicholas Hoult was suited to the role.  It wasn't that there was anything wrong.  It was a few days ago now that I watched the film and I'm embarrassed to say that other than Ed Hogg I have forgotten most about it.  *blush*

Filth would be a good comparison I feel.  Gosh I loved that film.  Just caught it in the cinema before it left because I had thought I wouldn't like it.  But I enjoyed it so much.  McAvoy really gets into who that character is.  I think you need that with this kind of role: a wild abandon and some kind of insight into who this person is, even (and especially) if who the person is is despicable!  I was thinking of Trainspotting and thinking how this is so controlled compared to that, particularly in terms of character.  

Kill Your Friends is definitely NOT thematically tame, but I found it a bit spiritually tame.  Of course I suppose it is a great deal as it is so cynical...  Not sure how to explain.  But I did think it was OK.  But also I appear to have forgotten it very quickly, so....

I was right in my later assumption of Mancunian for Damien then.  I can only apologise that initially I thought he was Scouse.  Worrying since it is where I am from but never mind! Ooops!

domino wrote:

Noone has mentioned the thing I am most concerned about with the film and that is .. is it still funny even with the outright sexist homophobic disablist stuff? I know we're meant to see that as a satire but somehow for me in the book it wasn't satire enough.

I may have to wait for a bit to see the film so I am living vicarously through you all, thanks again or sharing!

---

It is pretty (read very) sexist!  But it fits the film/what it is portraying about these people/the industry, so...!  But sure it is uncomfortable at times....  With the rapper, I would say it comes across as opportunist more than anything.  I am already forgetting the details.  I hadn't read the book.  It definitely isn't PC though: none of it is!  I suppose that is why people aren't mentioning it perhaps.  Can't remember what the homophobic bit was...???  There is so much wrong it is hard to remember all of it, teehee!  I don't think this is satire so much as showing further how they're all TRULY right peanuts..??

Incidentally my (afternoon) screening was pretty busy.  Although I was the third person to sit down in the screen and a man came in after me and out of the entire (bar 3 seats) cinema decided to sit right next to me.  Is it me, or is that a bit weird?  That made me a bit uncomfortable!  Why would you do that?!  Aaaanywaaaayyyy....!!!

Poll results so far!

KILL YOUR FRIENDS - what did YOU think? [5 vote(s)]

5 stars - EXCELLENT!		0.0%
4 stars - Good		40.0%
3 stars - It was OK but not enough DaMO		40.0%
2 stars - It was a bit disappointing		20.0%
1 star - I didn't like it at all, this film is not for me		0.0%

Seen the film? Agree / disagree? 

VOTE in the POLL at the top of this thread!