Blu-ray Review: Great Cast Rocks Clever ‘Seven Psychopaths’

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CHICAGO – When I saw the ensemble assembled for Martin McDonagh’s very funny “Seven Psychopaths” and realized it was from the creator of the brilliant “In Bruges,” personal expectations were set pretty high. In fact, higher than this film achieves, but don’t let the fact that it’s not quite as solid as “Bruges” overwhelm your response to this flick, recently on Blu-ray and DVD. It’s still smart, funny, dark, twisted, and unlike anything else on the New Releases shelf.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Telling you too much about “Seven Psychopaths” ruins the film. The fact is that this is one of those works for which the less you know, the better. From the very opening scene, McDonagh is trying to keep you on your toes, even blending fiction and reality (it’s no coincidence that Colin Farrell’s writer character is named Martin and that he’s trying to follow-up a smash success) in a film that becomes more and more of a commentary on itself and violence in film. Farrell, Sam Rockwell, and Christopher Walken are having an absolute blast playing with the many weapons, verbal and physical, given them by McDonagh. A commentary track on the Blu-ray would have been nice but this the kind of film that was overlooked in theaters and will find a much larger audience through word-of-mouth on Blu-ray and DVD. Maybe we’ll get a commentary with the inevitable Special Edition of this cult classic in the making.

Seven Psychopaths was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 29, 2013
Photo credit: Sony

Synopsis:
From Oscar-nominated writer and director Martin McDonagh (Best Original Screenplay, In Bruges, 2008) comes a star-studded, blood-drenched black comedy. Marty (Colin Farrell) is a struggling writer who dreams of finishing his screenplay Seven Psychopaths and all he needs is a little focus and inspiration. Billy (Sam Rockwell) is Marty’s best friend, an unemployed actor and part time dog thief, who wants to help Marty by any means necessary. Hans (Christopher Walken) is Billy’s partner in crime, a religions man with a violent past. Charlie (Woody Harrelson) is the psychotic gangster whose beloved dog Billy and Hans have just stolen. Charlie is unpredictable, extremely violent and wouldn’t think twice about killing anyone or anything associated with the theft. Marty is going to get all the focus and inspiration he needs, just as long as he lives to tell the tale.

Special Features:
o Martin McDonagh’s Seven Psychopaths
o Crazy Locations
o Woody Harrelson Is Charlie
o Colin Farrell Is Marty
o Layers
o Seven Psychocats

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]