Cinecity Diary – 15th November – Seven Psychopaths

It is here!! The even I have been waiting for since the closing film last year is back, Cinecity started last night at Duke of York’s cinema with great gusto and style. Jamesons were at the event again to provide us all with fantastic cocktails. The cinema was sold out and the mood was electric. There were even celebrities in the mix with Nick Cave in attendance.

After the usual speeches welcoming us to the festival the lights dimmed and we were treated to the opening film, Seven Psychopaths… Read on for my thoughts on the film.

Seven Psychopaths

Seven Psychopaths is a horrifying yet darkly hilarious comedy from the pen of In Bruges writer/director Martin McDonagh. His second feature is set in Los Angeles and follows a struggling screen-writer, Marty played by Colin Farrell. Full of witty dialogue and graphic content with a structure that is reminiscent of a Quentin Tarantino film, but with more brains.

Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken star as a pair of hapless dog-nappers. Billy is Marty’s unstable, out-of-control friend and is helped by the elderly Hans. All hell breaks loose when Billy kidnaps a Shi Tzu owned by a local and ruthless gangster played by Woody Harrelson.

The main story is filled out with side-track tales of psychopaths that Marty is trying to invent for his failing idea for a movie, entitled Seven Psychopaths. In fact he only has the title and nothing else. The array of unorthodox psychopaths include a vengeful Quaker Psychopath, a Vietnamese Psychopath keen to settle a score with USA, a mix-raced couple of Psychopaths that travel the country killing serial killers.

For people who are not familiar with McDonagh’s work might be a little taken a back by his shock tactics, politically incorrect use of language and over-the-top violence. Also of note is the films portrayal of women, which is amusingly debated many times by Marty and Billy.  But if you go in armed with this knowledge and expect a satirical comedy then you will be laughing from start to finish at the movies almost cartoonistic carnage. Seven Psychopaths is full of pop-movie clichés that are deconstructed in extremely comical ways. A screen writer wanting to write a deep and meaningful movie full of social statements but choosing the title Seven Psychopaths, for instance.

Even though Farrell is in the lead role, it is Rockwell that completely steals the show with his turn as the gleefully reckless Billy which is almost too much at times. Thankfully his flapping and crazy actions are perfectly balanced by Walken’s Hans who is calm and collected at all times – aided by the distinct way Walken reads his lines. Farrell is left as the straight man in this trio, which he plays well. Harrelson is electric but doesn’t over play the barbarous gangster. Tom Waits also stars in a small yet fulfilling role as a Psychopath that answers an ad in the classifieds that Billy places.

While Seven Psychopaths may not be for everyone because of its extreme dark comedy and violence, those who are keen moviegoers and fans of the film industry will lap it up.

Highly recommended.

CINECITY BRIGHTON FILM FESTIVAL WILL RUN FROM 15TH NOVEMBER TO 2ND DECEMBER 2012 FOR MORE INFO VISIT THEHOMEPAGE HERE