I don't often use the word perfect, but when I do, it's necessary! I've been following this film for some time now and spreading the word, trying to get as many of my friends to watch it when they get the chance and, low and behold, they are raving in approval.
'In Bruges' writer and director Martin McDonagh returns with possibly the most perfectly written, directed, filmed and acted movie that I have had the pleasure of watching in years. I say this even though I cannot compare it to the last allegedly perfect movie I saw, because goddamn it, it can't be compared. It is in a league of its own and as a true original.
Marty (Colin Farrell) is an Irish scriptwriter in LA, constantly hung over, treading on eggshells around his girlfriend and hanging around with his neurotic dog-kidnapping best friend Billy. Unable to find the inspiration he needs to start his new script, aptly titled the same as the film, he is thrust into a deadly situation of unbelievable magnitude.
Billy (Sam Rockwell) and his elderly friend Hans (Christopher Walken) have kidnapped the cute cuddly Shih Tzu of psycho gangster Charlie (Woody Harrelson), who will have his dog back at all costs. At the same time, saving Marty and Hans' lives before a pair of mob goons can find out the whereabout of the dog, vigilante mafia boss killer 'The Jack of Diamonds' executes the gansgters and spares the two men, who decide to grab Billy and head for the hills.
But never mind wondering what he's going to do when Charlie comes back for his dog, Marty has yet to find the inspiration for his script closer to home than he has been looking as both Billy and Hans turn out to be two completely different breeds of psychopath.
Without spoiling it, this film is not your run of the mill loony comedy. That's just a consistently underlying theme throughout the entire movie. What it's really about is the importance and meaning of life to many individuals and what separates the psychopaths from the seemingly ordinary folk.
What was most fascinating about Seven Psychopaths is that there is more wisdom, emotional longing, vulnerability and personality in each psychopath than there is in the presumably mentally stable characters. We know they're crazy and dangerous almost from the offset but at the same time, we - and also Marty - cannot help but feel endeared towards them.
So what we really have is a crime drama that is up to its ears in hilarious comedy, tragedy and deep meaning, and this to me is perfect enough before the style and the powerhouse acting takes it graciously towards the end credits.
This film boasts a genius example of ideal ensemble casting which also includes an awesome turn by music legend and actor Tom Waits as Zachariah. It's also nice to see Abbie Cornish, Kevin Corrigan and Harry Dean Stanton supporting.
But OH MY GOD, Christopher Walken's best in years, Sam Rockwell's best in years and Woody Harrelson's best in years. You can thank the amazing writing and cinematography but the leads do so well with their own individual and collective roles that I was captivated from beginning to end and had to watch it twice within a few short days.
Excellent, through and through, go own it on DVD and never let go!
