I recently saw this movie, after eagerly anticipating it for a good long while. Overall I found it so-so; whilst ranging from good to brilliant in most every technical aspect, a singificant detractor was the character of Simon. Simply put, I don't believe he is what he's described to be. The synopsis, pre-release interviews and reviews talk of a sociopath (which I appreciate is now an antiquated DSM term, but it's the one they employ so I will employ it too), but it's clear the term has been either misinterpreted or misused.The film's eponymous 'killer' definitely has some sort of borderline or antisocial/dissocial personality disorder - his pathological lying and manipulating with no regard for others demonstrate this with crystal clarity - but to my knowledge, true sociopathy does not appear to be it. His obvious distress and pained, emotional reactions at two certain points (the part where he's discussing his ex with his mother via skype; and when he breaks down, crying for his mother, after leaving his fox pin on the left-for-dead Victoria/Noura) strike me as simply too human for a sociopath.It's the very presence of such distress in itself that nullifies the term 'sociopath'. Longing for others, for comfort from and attachment to others, is something absent in sociopaths. Whilst they do feel certain emotions on a superficial level, and certainly can be given to acute displays of anger and aggression, sadness and need for others just does not feature. They are more than adept, however at feigning such emotions in order to manipulate others (just as Simon does), but they do not genuinely, deeply feel them, therefore would have no reason to exhibit them when alone in their most honest moments.The term 'sociopath' has been wielded quite loosely in fiction for ages, but I would have thought intelligent writer-directors such as Antonio Campos, and actor-writers such as Brady Corbet, would be more circumspect. Hats off to them, they wrote and pulled off an interesting character who inspires the very repugnance he's designed to - that much is mission accomplished - but I do not believe he's a sociopath. And if they had simply described him simply as amoral or morally questionable, that would have sufficed; but as such, 'sociopath' is not and cannot be used as shorthand.In conclusion, the film is definitely worth a watch, for the top notch performances and 'killer' soundtrack (pun not intended); but if you're looking for a character study of a sociopath, watch René Clémant's 'Purple Noon (Plein Soleil)' instead. In 'Simon Killer', the eponymous character exhibits certain sociopathic traits, and evidently falls somewhere in the spectrum of borderline or antisocial/dissocial personality disorders, but I would dispute whether he is a true sociopath; and as the film rests on the veracity of Simon as one, this is where it fails for me.

I read the reviews about the film and they stimulated my interest in seeing this flick at Pifan 2013 in Bucheon, South Korea. The movie seemed to go in several directions, but yes, I found the film a bit hard to like, especially the ending.Simon is a recent college grad who visits Paris after breaking up with a longtime girlfriend. He befriends Victoria, who works as a prostitute, and soon moves in with her despite planning to hit other places in Europe. He tries to scam her other customers and trouble starts brewing.I found that Simon wasn't a likable guy at all. He had a couldn't-care- less attitude like the character Zach Galifianakis played in "The Hangover." I also found implausible Victoria immediately liking Simon and letting him into her troubled life, and he ends up making things more complicated for her. He seems to really show what a true a-hole he is toward the end.I'm glad I watched it but would I recommend it? Not sure.

"Simon Killer" may the toughest film I've ever tried to categorize. It's not a horror film, it's not a thriller, it's not a romance, and it's not a drama. And yet, in another way, it *is* all of those. From the very title of the movie to the closing scene, this film defies all common conventions."Simon Killer" is the story of Simon, played brilliantly by Brady Corbet, who has just graduated from college and comes to Paris to get over a bad breakup. We never meet Michelle, his ex, but based on Simon's e-mails to her and her reply, it was not a happy breakup, and maybe even worse than that. While there, he meets a drop-dead gorgeous hooker (Mati Diop) and they start a relationship. I could discuss more of the plot -- and there is definitely more, involving blackmail attempts and other events -- but really, it's irrelevant. The film basically invites us to watch Simon and what he does. And it's engrossing. And the question is, what IS Simon, really. He's not really a pleasant guy. Why is he doing what he's doing? Is he a pathological liar? Or just a confused kid telling small lies in a foreign land. Does he hate women and think they are only for sex? Or is it the opposite, and he gets deeply emotionally involved. "Simon Killer" is fascinating and potentially frustrating as it invites you to watch and yet refuses to give pat answers and instead, seems to raise more questions.Film, like all art, is subjective, and I found "Simon Killer" absolutely riveting. You may find it disturbing and uncomfortable, but I think it's worth the ride.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy. Thankfully, was able to catch this in the Institute of Contemporary Arts here in London. I was expecting to be disappointed because I had such high hopes after AFTERSCHOOL and was ready to agree with my friends that this would be wanky, but they actually really dug it. Even with all the nudity and visually arresting red-and-blue strobe transitions. Maybe I just have more open-minded friends who just trust my taste in movies, but they really took something out of it and we discussed quite a lot on the way back which was mostly about Simon's psyche.Simon is a fascinating character. Brady Corbet really commits to an incredibly personal and unsettling persona.Disturbing, confusing, creepy, trippy holiday from hell. Yes, it's about an American who's just broken up and goes to France to hook up with a prostitute but it's done in the most arty, otherworldly style. It's just so primal from the cinematography (lots of behind person camera tracking shots) down to the score of drones and drums getting you right into the head of Simon. GOOD LORD THE SOUNDTRACK! "It Takes A Muscle To Fall In Love", LCD Soundsystem. I think this one has SPRING BREAKERS beat for this year in terms of foreboding score and licensed synth-pop tracks. But just as you're about to get comfortable, the music is abruptly stopped which fits Simon's character.The way the camera operates in this very voyeuristic, CCTV robot-like manner (just like in AFTERSCHOOL). It'll have the camera focus on a table with a girl laying down the groceries (bananas and bags of cocaine), then to her movements, characters talking, and eventually resulting in a long shot where you're just been immersed into everything rather than just the dialogue.It just makes for a very claustrophobic experience, and you can't wait to breath for the next day to come.