Movie Review: Seven Psychopaths

Writer/director Martin McDonagh picked up a cult following the release of his 2008 black comedy In Bruges. McDonagh is sure to advance his reputation as a cult icon after another success with Seven Psychopaths. Much like In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths is a very funny and often brutally violent film with a few unexpected twists to throw the audience for a loop. McDonagh packs the script with sharp dialogue and barrage of colorful and entertaining characters that are very Tarintino-esque without feeling like a ripoff or imitation. The film evenly splits it's time between being a zany story about alcoholic screenwriter Marty (Colin Farrell) working on his most recent screenplay fittingly called "Seven Psychopaths" and a story about an insane mobster (Woody Harrelson) trying to get his kidnapped dog back from Marty's deranged best friend Billy (Sam Rockwell), who kidnaps dogs temporarily for the reward money for returning them to their owners. In addition to McDonagh's sharp script, the cast is excellent. Each actor gives their character a zany energy and adds to the twisted fun vibe of the film. Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken are the standouts among the titular psychopaths. Rockwell brings a strange likability to his character Billy. He is clearly a deranged man with more than a couple of screws loose yet you still sympathize with him. Rockwell really owns the role and if it wasn't such a strong year for supporting performnaces, I would say his work here would be Best Supporting Actor material. Not to be outdone by Rockwell, Walken brings huge laughs as Billy's reserved, but still demented partner Hans. Walken hasn't this much fun on-screen since The Rundown in 2003 and it was great to see his signature wackiness back on the big screen. Seven Psychopaths is a giddily violent and clever dark comedy. The style and tone of this film isn't for everyone with the amount of graphic violence and a storyline based around screenwriting that can be confusing with the frequent shifting between scenes from the script of the film within a film and the "real" storyline, but if you don't mind a film with an offbeat and sick sense of humor, Seven Psychopaths is a wildly entertaining and fun romp.

4/5 Stars