Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home Culture

A film about how movies and real life often relate and connect

byStaff writers
9 December 2012
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS: Starring Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson. Directed by Martin McDonagh. Rated MA 15+ (Strong bloody violence and coarse language). 106 minutes.
Reviewed by Fr Peter Malone MSC

TWO people in the audience, sitting side by side in the cinema, could well be having opposite experiences.

One might be thoroughly amused by the bizarre plot and characters as well as the black humour.

The next might be finding it quite distasteful, a lot of violence, random and planned, too silly to enjoy.

A bit of checking on the film is necessary to decide which seat one wants to sit in.

Martin McDonagh had a great hit with In Bruges.

It was bizarre and funny, oddball criminal characters, black humour and wordplay – and the beauty of the city of Bruges.

This time he is in Los Angeles, not so beautiful.

Seven Psychopaths is not only the title of the film, it is the title of the potential film within the film.

It is being written by Irish screenwriter, Martin (Colin Farrell, this time rather quietly subdued).

Related Stories

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

He is desperate to find some psychopaths to fill out a plot for his title, and he certainly finds them, especially among his friends.

The most psychopathic is actor, Billy, played cleverly with general nonchalance and an amoral outlook on life by Sam Rockwell.

Rockwell can take on any kind of role with flair.

He does so here.

Although rivalry for the title of most psychopathic comes with thug, Charlie (Woody Harrelson).

Harrelson is devoted above all people and all things to his pet dog, Bonnie.

Billy teams up with Hans (Christopher Walken at his best) to abduct dogs and turn up for the reward.

You can see the set-up when Bonnie is dognapped.

Meanwhile, Billy offers all kinds of suggestions for Martin’s film – many played out on screen for the audience.

Hans also has suggestions.

In the meantime, we see Charlie’ search for his dog who scares the walker who lost his dog by shooting at her, then hostilely shooting someone for revenge.

It all builds up to a shootout climax, contrived by Billy.

Other characters wander in and out: Charlie’s mistress, Martin’s edgy girlfriend, and Tom Waits with a story all of his own, a violent one, which he wants Martin to put into his film and he interrupts the film’s credits to complain that it is missing.

Then there is the story of the Viet Cong soldier who plans to murder those responsible for the massacre at My Lai – the subject of Hans’ final suggestion for Martin, described so well by Christopher Walken.

So, a movie about a movie, of how movies and real life can relate and connect – but all with tongue very much in cheek.

It won the People’s Choice award for the Midnight Madness screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Not surprising.

Fr Peter Malone MSC is an associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting.

 

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Paedophilia knows no boundaries

Next Post

Pitch Perfect is a pleasant surprise

Staff writers

Related Posts

News

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

23 May 2022
Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition
QLD

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Next Post

Pitch Perfect is a pleasant surprise

Remake misses the mark

Joyous servant

Popular News

  • From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Fr Liam receives bravery medal after shark attack rescue

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

News

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

by Mark Bowling
23 May 2022
0

ANTHONY Albanese, a self-described cultural Catholic, has been sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister today, after...

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping