Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson graced the red carpet this week for the New York premiere of their new film The Killer Inside Me.

Directed by British filmmaker Michael Winterbottom and based on the cult novel by Jim Thompson, the film is a dark, violent thriller which also stars Casey Affleck.

Set in an idyllic 1950s West Texas town, Affleck's apparently unassuming sheriff deputy harbours violent instincts and struggles to hide them from girlfriend Hudson and prostitute Alba.

The film has already been criticised by some as being gratuitously violent, but Hudson defended it saying: "It was a highly controversial novel when it came out, it should be a controversial film....I know I was disturbed by the film, but I was blown away by how well executed it was."

Director Winterbottom dismissed claims Jessica Alba had walked out during the screening due to the film's brutality, saying she had already seen the picture and was going home to be with her daughter.

The Killer Inside Me is released in the UK on 4th June.