Blu Review: Seven Psychopaths (4 out of 5)

Seven Psychopaths only works so well, because of the brilliant performances of it's ensemble cast!

     From time to time here on the Epic Review we will take a moment to review the films we missed in theaters, but catch shortly after their Blu-ray releases.  These articles will be known as the Blu Review, and up first is Martin McDonagh's Seven Psychopaths, which was originally released on Blu-ray January 29, 2013.  Our inaugural Blu-review after the break...

(Mild spoilers for Seven Psychopaths follow:)

Sam Rockwell is probably the best of the very entertaining Seven Psychopaths

     Seven Psychopaths is a film that appears to be about a struggling film writer Marty Faranan (Colin Farrell)  who just can't seem to get his life together, and really get going on that very first feature film.  Along comes his good pal Billy Bickle (Sam Rockwell) an out of work actor who has stooped to running a dog napping business with his partner Hans Kielowski (Christopher Walken).  A dog napping service that recently grabbed the shih tzu of Mob boss Charlie Costello (Woody Harreslon), who by the use of his crime syndicate is willing to get his pooch back by any means necessary.  Mean while Billy gives his advice to Marty regarding his struggling screenplay entitled Seven Psychopaths which subsequently is the title of the actual film.  Billy offers up several tales of various killers to add to the screenplay becoming a co-writer on the project in the process.  Turns out the tales Sam Rockwell has been feeding Colin Farrell aren't fiction at all, but tales about his life as a killer, as well as other brutal stories he has heard through out the years.  On the run with Costello's kid napped puppy Billy, Marty, and Hans head to the desert where Billy hopes Harrelson's doggie rescue mission will result in an Epic real life show down that Farrell can use in his script.  

Woody Harrelson was the perfect Villain for this film.  I don't know if he is more pissed here because they have his dog ? Or at Colin Farrell for being the one weak point of the film.

     Seven Psychopaths isn't your typical film.  The movie brilliantly blends elements off action, horror, mystery, suspense, and comedy into a brilliant commentary on Psychopaths.  Several moments in this film had me want to turn my head away from the screen one minute, and laughing hysterically the next.  A unique film like this only works because of the masterful job by it's ensemble cast.  Not many actors can pull off strong comedic moments out of very brutal situations, but Christopher Walken, Woody Harreslson, and Sam Rockwell are some of the few that can.  It is a lot fun seeing them constantly deliver throughout the entirety of the film, even if Colin Farrell seems a little over shadowed his performance is sufficient.

Props to  Director Martin McDonagh for giving us an original idea!

     When you consider Martin McDonagh not only directed this movie, but wrote the entire script you have to be impressed.  Genre mash ups are not always the easiest thing to write.  Especially one that is trying to be a commentary on the whole idea of Psychopaths in real life paralleled to those in movies within the context of an actual film.  The concept is truly an original brilliant one, which is something we don't see too often in Hollywood these days!