Seven Psychopaths Review
Daniel Kendi ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff
There is a lot going on in Seven Psychopaths. A writer is struggling to write a screenplay. A killer known as the “Jack of Diamonds” is on the loose. Two men steal dogs only to return them to their owners for rewards. Contributing to the craziness is a Quaker, a Vietnamese man with a prostitute, a killer with a rabbit, and a psychopath who loves his dog more than anything in the world. Despite the multiple plot lines, the main storyline follows Marty (Colin Farrell) a writer who is writing a screenplay entitled “Seven Psychopaths.” He knows the title of his next film but nothing else. Marty has no idea who any of these psychopaths are or how the film will begin or end. Billy (Sam Rockwell), Marty’s best friend, tries to help him get inspiration for his story. This leads the two of them into a whole mix of events involving psychopaths, murder, and a Shih Tzu. While this may seem like a confusing plot, as the film progresses all of these plot points begin to make sense.
The hilarity of the film is due to both McDonagh’s well-written script and the phenomenal acting from Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken and Woody Harrelson. Walken plays a dog kidnapper in one of his funniest roles to date. Harrelson plays a mob boss whose dog is stolen. While this role was originally offered to Mickey Rourke, Harrelson’s comedic yet threatening performance proves that this role was meant for him.
Aside from lead roles there are also some great cameos in this film. Gabourey Sidibe (known for her role in Precious) as a dog walker contributes to one of the highlights in the film with her great scene with Harrelson’s character. Despite all the fantastic performances it is Sam Rockwell that steals the show. His performance as Marty’s best friend Billy is one of the strangest and most hilarious portrayals of a character this year.
Seven Psychopaths is a hilarious film filled with strange plot points and some amazing twists. The plot while slightly strange and confusing comes together by the end as all the characters and plot points tie together. Overall this is a hilarious and great film. Whether the film ends in an amazing shootout or a quiet talk between friends in the desert, this is a movie worth seeing.
See it: If you love action films, humor, and interesting plots.
Don’t see it: If you are turned off by gore (this is a very violent film) or if you do not enjoy slightly complicated stories.