IMDb > I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)

I Hired a Contract Killer (1990) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   1,482 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Aki Kaurismäki
Writers:
Aki Kaurismäki (story)
Aki Kaurismäki (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for I Hired a Contract Killer on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 September 1990 (Italy) more
Genre:
Drama | Comedy more
Tagline:
Lej aldrig yrkesmoerdare i rivningskaakar!
Plot:
After fifteen years' service, Henri Boulanger is made redundant from his job. Shocked, he attempts suicide... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win more
User Comments:
A man hires a killer to kill him at undetermined time but suddenly wakes up to a reality where he doesn't want to die anymore. more (13 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Jean-Pierre Léaud ... Henri Boulanger
Margi Clarke ... Margaret
Kenneth Colley ... The Killer
T.R. Bowen ... Department Head (as Trevor Bowen)
Imogen Claire ... Secretary (as Immogen Clare)
Angela Walsh ... Landlady
Cyril Epstein ... Taxi Driver
Nicky Tesco ... Pete
Charles Cork ... Al
Michael O'Hagan ... The Killer's Boss

Tex Axile ... Barkeeper
Walter Sparrow ... Hotel Porter
Tony Rohr ... Frank
Joe Strummer ... Guitar Player / Singer
Peter Graves ... Jeweller
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
J'ai engagé un tueur (France)
Vertrag mit meinem Killer (Germany)
Contraté a un asesino (Argentina) [es]
Contraté un asesino a sueldo (Spain) [es]
Ho affittato un killer (Italy) [it]
J'ai engagé un tueur (Canada: French title) [fr]
Proselava enan epagelmatia dolofono (Greece) [el]
Wynajalem platnego morderce (Poland) [pl]
more
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
79 min
Country:
Finland | UK | Germany | Sweden | France
Language:
English | Finnish
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15
Filming Locations:
London, England, UK
Company:
Channel Four Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film is dedicated to the memory of Michael Powell. more
Quotes:
The Killer: [the killer finds Henri, but starts to cough blood] Cancer. I'll be gone in a few weeks time.
Henri Boulanger: I'm sorry.
The Killer: Why? It'll take me out of here.
Henri Boulanger: Don't you like it here?
The Killer: No. I'm a loser.
Henri Boulanger: But this time you win.
The Killer: That's what you think. Life is a disappointment.
[the killer shoots himself]
more
Movie Connections:
Version of Der Mann, der seinen Mörder sucht (1931) more
Soundtrack:
Suffering With The Blues more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
15 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
A man hires a killer to kill him at undetermined time but suddenly wakes up to a reality where he doesn't want to die anymore., 20 September 1999
9/10
Author: -qz (ekholm@pultti.hamkk.fi) from Finland

Finnish movies are often blamed (at least by Finns themselves) for containing very weak emotions and total lack of good humor. In my opinion, this movie gives a great deal of both.

The main character is an immigrant who loses his job and while swimming in depression, he tries to kill himself (and fails on it, too).

The movie gets great after the point where our hero hires an contract killer to kill him. Since his life is already lost (and the killer is going to kill him anytime), he begins to sink more and more into misery just when... he falls in love.

Suddenly, life isn't so bad anymore - too bad that the killer is still shadowing him and just trying to finish the contract they've made.

I just simply LOVE this movie, it is so funny and yet so good parody about all Finnish customs and traditions.

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