Seven Psychopaths was Martin McDonagh's big follow-up to his dark comedy hit In Bruges and was placed on the Blacklist of best unproduced screenplays in 2006.
Marty (Colin Farrell) is a struggling screenwriter in Hollywood who unintentionally gets involved in a the Los Angeles criminal underworld when his roommate, Billy (Sam Rockwell) kidnaps the beloved dog of Charlie (Woody Harrelson), a violent gangster.
Seven Psychopaths had a lot of talent involved: McDonagh was able to recruit an all-star cast that featured Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken in the main roles and well known actors like Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko, Gabourey Sidibe and Michael Pitt in minor ones. That alone is enough to drawn in film fans and they all have excellent chemistry together. Many of them have excellent comedic timing. It was obvious the actors wanted to work with McDonagh because many of them only had one or two scenes in the film.
McDonagh is a skilled wordsmith and Seven Psychopaths' best feature is its dialogue. Combined with the acting Seven Psychopaths has a zip and the banter naturally hilarious. McDonagh is a master at the dark comedy genre and he knows how to make it funny: something other filmmakers forget.
Seven Psychopaths has a plot and a style that's similar to the films of Quentin Tarantino, Shane Black and to a lesser extent Guy Ritchie. It matches the tones, quick dialogue and comedy as well as the crime setting and ultra violence. Yet the big weakness of the film is its desire to be meta and self-referential due to Marty's profession. It does learn to fine scenes of violence and action but it does not serve a purpose to the main story. It's a piece of writer self-indolent.
Seven Psychopaths is an entertaining crime comedy that fans of Tarantino and Shane Black will enjoy but it does match the heights of In Bruges
Marty (Colin Farrell) is a struggling screenwriter in Hollywood who unintentionally gets involved in a the Los Angeles criminal underworld when his roommate, Billy (Sam Rockwell) kidnaps the beloved dog of Charlie (Woody Harrelson), a violent gangster.
Seven Psychopaths had a lot of talent involved: McDonagh was able to recruit an all-star cast that featured Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken in the main roles and well known actors like Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko, Gabourey Sidibe and Michael Pitt in minor ones. That alone is enough to drawn in film fans and they all have excellent chemistry together. Many of them have excellent comedic timing. It was obvious the actors wanted to work with McDonagh because many of them only had one or two scenes in the film.
McDonagh is a skilled wordsmith and Seven Psychopaths' best feature is its dialogue. Combined with the acting Seven Psychopaths has a zip and the banter naturally hilarious. McDonagh is a master at the dark comedy genre and he knows how to make it funny: something other filmmakers forget.
Seven Psychopaths has a plot and a style that's similar to the films of Quentin Tarantino, Shane Black and to a lesser extent Guy Ritchie. It matches the tones, quick dialogue and comedy as well as the crime setting and ultra violence. Yet the big weakness of the film is its desire to be meta and self-referential due to Marty's profession. It does learn to fine scenes of violence and action but it does not serve a purpose to the main story. It's a piece of writer self-indolent.
Seven Psychopaths is an entertaining crime comedy that fans of Tarantino and Shane Black will enjoy but it does match the heights of In Bruges