Seven Psychopaths — Everybody has a better story
Seven Psychopaths is entertaining when its arguments are as unruly as its crime plot. The cast gives the material plenty of energy, although the film’s awareness of its own writing can become tiring.
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Spoiler-free review.
Seven Psychopaths has a lot of fun with people who cannot agree on the story they are in. Martin McDonagh turns conversations about writing into another source of conflict rather than a quiet break from it. That gives the film a lively rhythm. Everybody seems to have a different idea of what would improve the situation.
Sam Rockwell adds a useful unpredictability to the exchanges. His energy can be amusing and tiring in equal measure. Colin Farrell offers a more hesitant anchor, which helps make sense of the chaos. The film needs someone who can look unconvinced by the madness around them.
The dialogue is strongest when an argument reveals how a person wants to be seen. A discussion can become a demand for attention very quickly. Christopher Walken gives some of the quieter moments an appealing dryness. Those changes in energy are welcome in a film that otherwise enjoys keeping the conversation turned up.
The self-awareness doesn't always add much. Sometimes the film seems happy to point out a convention while still relying on it. I enjoyed the cast and the messiness more than the writing's claims for itself. It's funny enough to work, but less emotionally convincing than McDonagh at his best.
2012 · English. Film details · Film details · Poster source · Artwork © its respective rights holders.
7/10
My verdictSeven Psychopaths is entertaining when its arguments are as unruly as its crime plot. The cast gives the material plenty of energy, although the film’s awareness of its own writing can become tiring.
— Desly