Seven Psychopaths (2012)

A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.

Director:

Martin McDonagh

Writer:

Martin McDonagh

Stars:

Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Pitt	...	Larry
Michael Stuhlbarg	...	Tommy
Sam Rockwell	...	Billy
Colin Farrell	...	Marty
Abbie Cornish	...	Kaya
Christopher Walken	...	Hans
Helena Mattsson	...	Blonde Lady
Linda Bright Clay	...	Myra
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Man in Hat
James Landry Hébert	...	Killer (as James Hébert)
Christopher Gehrman	...	Cellmate
Christian Barillas	...	Catholic Priest
Joseph Lyle Taylor	...	Al
Kevin Corrigan	...	Dennis
Woody Harrelson	...	Charlie

Storyline

A struggling screenwriter ('Colin Farrell' ) inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends (Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell) kidnap a gangster's (Woody Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu.

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Plot Keywords:

gangster | screenwriter | shih tzu | whiskey | arrest | 

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Taglines:

No te metas con el perro (Don't mess with the dog)

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, bloody images, pervasive language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook [de]

Country:

UK

Language:

English Vietnamese

Release Date:

12 October 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sedam psihopata

Filming Locations:

1016 White Knoll Drive, Los Angeles

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$4,174,915 (USA) (12 October 2012)

Gross:

$14,989,761 (USA) (14 December 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film4, Blueprint Pictures, British Film Institute (BFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Crispin Glover:  In the court room scene seated in front of Harry Dean Stanton.

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Goofs

When the first Psychopath shoots the henchmen in the dog storage warehouse, the blood splatter on Marty's face changes from the front to the side.

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Quotes

Billy: How's the Seven Psychopaths coming, Marty?
Marty: Slow, slow. I've got the title, y'know... just haven't been able to come up with all the psychopaths yet.
Billy: How many you got?
Marty: One. And he ain't really much of a psychopath. He's more of a... kind of a Buddhist.
Billy: A Buddhist?
Marty: Yeah, I'm sick of all these stereotypical Hollywood murderer scumbag type psychopath movies. I don't want it to be one more film about guys with guns in their hands. I want it... overall... to be about love... and peace. But it still ...

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Crazy Credits

A surprise final scene interrupts the closing credits a few seconds after they start.

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Warm Bodies (2013)

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Soundtracks

"The First Cut Is The Deepest"
Written by Cat Stevens
Performed by P.P. Arnold

User Reviews

Finding the middle ground between comedy, violence and psychopaths

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.

"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 story lines 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.

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.