Killing Them Softly is a 2012 American neo-noir crime film directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Brad Pitt. Based on George V. Higgins' novel Cogan's Trade, the story follows hitman Jackie Cogan as he is hired to address the repercussions of a Mafia poker game robbery, leading to a disruption in the criminal economy amidst the backdrop of the 2008 United States presidential election and financial crisis.