Seven Psychopaths

October 26, 2012 - An all-star cast shines in this very funny black comedy from writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges). The cast includes Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson and Christopher Walken. Gabourey Sidibe, Zeljko Ivanek and Tom Waits have smaller roles.

The film is structured, kind of, as a movie within a movie. But, in this case, the movie within is still in the scriptwriting stage. Colin Farrell plays Marty, a struggling screenwriter who has an idea for a movie called "Seven Psychopaths." He's trying to come up with seven crazed killers to populate his film, and he's getting help from his best friend, Billy, an out-of-work actor. Billy's primary source of income is currently a dognapping scheme that he runs with a mysterious man named Hans (Walken). They kidnap a dog belonging to a gangster named Charlie, which eventually leads to a shootout in the desert. Along the way, Marty alternately fears for his life and finds the inspiration he needs.

Overall review: **** This movie reminds me a lot of Burn after Reading by the Coen brothers. There's not really a plot here, but, somehow, it's very entertaining and it all makes sense. Highly recommended.