I Trust You to Kill Me

A film review by Christopher Null - Copyright © 2007 Filmcritic.com

Who knew Keifer Sutherland had his own music label? His Ironworks records signed a band called Rocco DeLuca and the Burden first, a group which I have little doubt you have never heard of.

That's the central concern in the documentary I Trust You to Kill Me (the title is drawn from one of the group's songs), as Sutherland himself takes on the role of band manager for a quick tour through Europe, promoting the band the old-fashioned way, by granting interviews and forcing free tickets upon people he meets in the street.

This isn't a mockumentary. This is a true tale about one band and one celebrity, how they get along, why they're together, and how tough it is for a band to get noticed, even with Keifer freakin' Sutherland in your corner.

This actually sounds like a good premise for a film, but at every turn Kill Me remains elusive and distant. Sutherland -- whose face fills the DVD cover, ensuring that there's no confusion who the movie is really about -- speaks in aphorisms and cigarette-smoldering quips. There's no great insight into why he feels a kinship with DeLuca (though both claim to have had problems with their fathers, that's hardly a basis for much of a friendship). And during the film's frequent concert performances, there's not really much evidence as to why he likes the band. They're a rather typical power-chord band that you can probably hear any night of the week at your local beer bar. Nothing at all wrong with their music, but there's nothing here to indicate Rocco DeLuca will ever become a household name.

Rating

2.5 out of 5 Stars

  • Director: Manu Boyer
  • Producer: Matt R. Brady, Pliny Porter
  • Screenwriter:
  • Stars: David Beste, Ryan Carman, Greg Velasquez, Charlie Finelli, Michelle Post, Rocco DeLuca, Kiefer Sutherland
  • MPAA Rating: R

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