In terms of compiling a successful
cinematic formula, deferring to an ensemble cast is usually a safe move,
especially when a majority of the names attached to the project benefit from
diverse and loyal fan-bases. When I
first caught wind of Seven Psychopaths, the
inclusion of Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, and Woody Harrelson was more than enough
to pique my interest, but the return of a legend like Christopher Walken to the
limelight was just icing on the cake.
Granted, based on the trailer and the involvement of director Martin
McDonagh, we were all but guaranteed an offbeat and thoroughly insane movie-going
experience, but perhaps the time was ripe to take audiences out of their
comfort zone. And it is also worth
noting that October and November are usually rife with Awards Season
sweethearts, so based on a positive reception at the Toronto International Film
Festival, Seven Psychopaths seemed
primed for success. Needless to say, my expectations
were high, and by all accounts, it didn’t look like Seven Psychopaths would disappoint.
Overall
Recommendation: Low
You know, I’ve been meditating for
the past few days on Seven Psychopaths,
but for the life of me, I cannot decide whether this oddball film was brilliant
or a smoldering piece of incoherent insanity.
The talented cast is not able to disguise the fact that this black
comedy is plagued with an erratic script that goes absolutely nowhere and often
defers to senseless violence instead of spending time on silly things like
character development. Christopher
Walken is enjoyable enough with his trademarked personality, but the real stars
of the film are Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell, both of whom clearly had fun
with their roles and treat the audience to thoroughly psychotic performances. Beyond that highlight though, Seven Psychopaths remains far too
confusing and overly long to be enjoyable; you keep praying there will be some
kind of pay-off, but are ultimately left wanting. In the end, even if you are a fan of the cast
and director, the truth remains that Seven
Psychopaths misses the mark and isn’t something that demands your
attention.
