10 Utterly Bad-Ass Movie Characters Who Ruled 2013

8. Bruce Robertson €“ Filth

Far away from the land of Narnia and furry thighs, James McAvoy had already come of age as a Hollywood leading man, thanks to the likes of Atonement and later X-Men: First Class, effusing the same gentle charm as compatriot Ewan McGregor. But in Filth, McAvoy made a brave move, abandoning a more clean-cut image to follow McGregor into the small, privileged circle of actors who have adapted Irvine Welsh characters. Bruce Robertson might well be a tragic fool, following Raoul Duke down the wrong rabbit hole to despair without any hope of redemption, but before the sting is added to his tale, he is genuinely one of the most despicable but irresistible characters in recent British history. Like Welsh's greatest character creations €“ Renton, Begby, Sick Boy €“ Robertson makes the gutter of life look appealing. He is debauched, offensive and unlikable, but through it all, he is deeply, impossibly charming. Even when he's damn near unwatchable, the performance is so brilliantly executed that Robertson rises well above the quality of the film in general.