Leeds Film Festival 2012 Review: Seven Psychopaths
something together once it finds its story. When Marty, Billy and Hans go on the road, on the run from Charlie and his cronies, the film has a sudden drive, picks up momentum. Sam Rockwell, easily the best thing about the film, gets the standout scene, an action movie parody where Billy re-enacts the bombastic, nonsensical shootout from his version of Marty's script. Elsewhere, things tie up neatly, if predictably. You'll be surprised the Vietnamese priest storyline reaches a rather touching denouement. If only the rest of the film were up to the same high standard. Unfortunately, it isn't. Audiences will embrace Seven Psychopaths as readily as In Bruges, based on memory of a crucial turnaround in the last act. Certainly the film has its moments, but where In Bruges was one long high-point, Seven Psychopaths sees the quality-needle spike far too sparingly. It's moderately entertaining for most of its duration, inspired in flashes, but nothing more. You won't be quoting it later. You won't be discussing it down the pub. You'll forget this film as quickly as Mickey Rourke jumped ship.