| Depending on how you count, there really are seven psychopaths. Also depending on how you count, there could be more, which is a good thing because Marty – the lead character played by Colin Farrell not the screenwriter Martin McDonagh – can use as many as he can find. Marty (Colin Farrell) is an alcoholic Irish screenwriter suffering from writer’s block since Hollywood’s needs and his ideals do not match up at all. | | 2012
Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Screenplay by: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken
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Colin Farrell (as Marty), Sam Rockwell (as Billy) and Christopher Walken (as Hans)
star in Alliance Films comedy SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS. Photo credit: Chuck Zlotnick. |
“Seven Pyschopaths” the rather ingenious, well-written, violent, hilarious, crime drama comedy does manage to find a happy medium between what Hollywood wants and what romantic idealist Marty wants. If you can imagine how hard it would be to find that happy medium, then you can probably imagine how easy it would be to find detractors for this film. They complain about the senseless violence, the meandering storylines and the shifts in tone. But the brilliance in the screenplay and the ensemble cast can allow many to ignore all that.
Marty wants to write a character study, a meaningful one where he finds significant life events to reflect upon to find love and happiness. Hollywood wants an action film. One with shoot-outs with as many characters and as many violent deaths as could possibly be included. Marty is a gentle spirit even if he is neurotic, has a bad taste in friends and indulges in unhealthy habits, he does want to find that happy place in life. He relies on the chaotic, crazy and cruel world around him, and also his chaotic, crazy and cruel friends, to provide inspiration for his screenplay.
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Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken in
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS, an Alliance Films release. |
Independent Spirit Award nominee Sam Rockwell plays Billy a manic, ne’er-do-well who kidnaps dogs and then returns them for the reward. His compatriot, Hans (Christopher Walken), is a philosophical old soul who takes all the violence and craziness in stride. Their criminal actions could catch up to them sooner rather than later when psychopath Charlie (Woody Harrelson) has his dog stolen and he has no problem killing everybody in his path to retrieve his precious Shih Tzu.
As these great actors and psychopathic characters all come together they provide “Seven Psychopaths” with exactly what was needed: unrestrained shoot-outs and philosophical musings on life, love and death. I would prefer just comedy but the script, the great actors and the psychopathic characters provided that as well.
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