Review of Filth (2013) by Maksim B — 26 Jan 2014

Dark, chaotic and shamelessly dirty, Filth is best described by its own title: filthy. A typical Irvine Welsh story, adapted for the silver screen, this is a movie soaked in whiskey, cocaine, sex and corruption. A depressing black comedy, the adaptation of Welsh's 1998 novel is a bold delivery which shocks and at the same works as an exhibition for James McAvoy's powerful performance.

Detective Bruce "Robo" Robertson is corrupted, coke-snorting, sex-addicted, manipulative policeman driven only by his bohemian lifestyle and ambition to secure a much desired career promotion. When the investigation of a murder of a Japanese student is given to him he uses the case to ruin the aspiration of his colleagues for the promotion. By turning them against each other, by using their weaknesses or just by screwing up their lives, Bruce gets involved in a diabolic scheme which blurred lines make it difficult to make a difference between reality and hallucinations. This loses avalanche of hilarious and scandalous scenes in which "Robo" succeeds to lose it all.

Apart from the typical Irvine Welsh humor, nastiness and loads of drugs, alcohol and sex, Filth boasted by the outstanding performance of James McAvoy. Detective Robertson is probably among the most appalling anti-heroes starring in a movie. His complex portrayal of a socio-path, headed for a physical and psychical self-destruction resulting from an emotional trauma in the past, sick ambitions and excess of drugs and alcohol, is probably the best ever performance of McAvoy.

Filth could have been even a better movie, if it did not become slow and a bit dramatic towards the end. It is true that it was the best outcome for a character doomed to self-destruction, but after the final credits a certain feeling of partially unfulfilled story remains. Still, Jon Bair's movie is an excellent delivery, warming-up the fans of Irvine Welsh for the long-anticipated Porn (sequel of Trainspotting) which is to be released in 2016. If you like this type of dark, brutal British/Scottish movies, Filth is definitely a must see !