Good Kill

DIRECTOR: Andrew Niccol

Starring Ethan Hawke January Jones Zoe Kravitz Jake Abel Bruce Greenwood

2015

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Tommy, an air force pilot, has been demoted from flying planes to flying drones over Afghanistan. His missions involve shooting missiles at confirmed terrorists without taking innocent life, yet Tommy still longs to fly planes himself. Joined by a new female “co-pilot”, Suarez, Tommy’s crew watches a suspicious house, but the only activity they see is a man routinely raping a woman. Because they are only authorized to kill confirmed terrorists, they are unable to interfere. Time goes by and Tommy’s crew is assigned to do secret missions for the CIA. These missions involve firing missiles into buildings where innocent women and children live. Despite the crew’s strong objections, the CIA assures them that these casualties have been taken into consideration. Outside of work, Tommy struggles with a drinking problem that causes tension between he and his wife, Ellen. Ellen has two young children from a previous marriage, and Tommy tries to bond and be a father figure to them. One night after going out with the crew for drinks, Tommy is pulled over while trying to chase down an escalade. He is drunk, but the police officer escorts him home instead of citing him. Tommy’s stresses at work continue when he’s asked to bomb the funeral of a suspected terrorist, killing his grieving family. Tommy reaches his breaking point when the CIA again asks him to shoot a car carrying a woman and child. He pretends to lose the signal with the drone, sparing the innocent lives, but causing Tommy to get demoted. After he declines advancements made by Suarez, Tommy returns home to find that the distant relationship he has with his wife has taken its toll. Ellen is taking the children and going back to her ex-husband, the owner of the escalade Tommy was following the other night. While flying a surveillance mission, Tommy sees the man from earlier going to rape the same woman. Tommy, without the consent of his commanding officers, fires a missile and kills the man. After being fired, Tommy leaves the base and, instead of driving towards his house, he turns and drives out into the desert.

Status: Completed

Genre: Thriller,Drama