Life is hopeslesly tangled with fiction in this highly original offering from In Bruges director Martin McDonagh. Billed as a British crime comedy but more an exercise in self-referential meta-fiction, Seven Psychopaths follows Marty (Colin Farrell), a scriptwriter struggling to pen his big hit, a film of the same name. The ridiculous dognapping escapades of best friend Billy (Sam Rockwell) and his accomplice Hans (the brilliant Christopher Walken) aid the writing of his psychopathic characters. When confronted by Shih Tzu-loving gangster Charlie (Woody Harrelson), it becomes apparent that fiction has imitated life.
If you like your comedy black and your violence gratuitous, but find Tarantino’s filmmaking arrogant and over-styled, this might be for you. A cameo from blues legend Tom Waits is the icing on the cake.
Sony’s Blu-ray transfer is flawless. Although the cinematography of the film does not lean towards visual spectacle, it does involve many close-up shots and these are realised in a detailed and warm image throughout. This is maintained with the initial urban setting and the later desert adventures. A modern classic for any collection.
Seven Psychopaths (2012), directed by Martin McDonagh, is released on Blu-ray disc in the UK by Momentum, Certificate 15.
