Review of Seven Psychopaths (2012) by Indianaparkwars — 16 Aug 2020

I wonder if I’ll ever stop saying “You’ll never see a movie like this again”. Finishing the Martin McDonagh trilogy, this film has been on my list for a very long time. *In Bruges *was a favorite of mine in high school and sits at 51 in my Top 100 Movies list. *Three Billboards* is another recent favorite, having watched it four or five times since it came out (twice in a row when I first watched it), and sitting as my third favorite movie of all time. With my great interest in serial killer movies, I’ve been wanting to watch *Seven Psychopaths *for a very long time. After a recent movie bracket with my friends, I had the deciding vote of choosing *Seven Psychopaths *over *Trainspotting** (*which I’ve seen before). I voted for *Seven Psychopaths* for the sole reason of feeling like it’s probably better, even though I hadn’t seen it at the time.

Well anyway, I felt morally obligated to watch it and I’ve wanted to for a while now. So I watched it and stand by my choice. This is just my kind of movie. I love how meta the story is, how it revolves around psychopaths and killers, the star-studded cast, and that it’s a unique movie that you never typically see. The movie is postmodern. Although it’s fairly linear, it takes an unconventional story approach where a screenwriter allegorically and accidentally writes about what’s happening in his own life. There’s a line between what’s a narrative, what’s real life, and what’s exaggerated, but it’s not very clear. And that’s what I love. Being a writer, I always incorporate myself into my work somehow. Whether I intend it or not, my beliefs and style and experiences end up formulating the story. Whether it’s because I consider myself an auteur or not, I’m a human and stories aren’t factory-made for me. I don’t have a formula or conveyor belt. They’re emotional, deep, and human in themselves. The same goes for this story. It’s got the satirical elements of typical action movies but a very deep human element that questions life and morality and forces characters to look inward.

I see Martin McDonagh and the Coen Brothers in the same kind of lens. They’re very similar auteurs with similar styles. They have their own ensemble, work with Carter Burwell as a composer, write about comedy crime, probe the audience with questions and deep themes, write unique postmodern stories, and are masterful in their craft. I would say McDonagh leans more into the satirical comedy aspect of reevaluating life and the Coen Brothers lean more into the confusion and chaos of the world. Overall, this film has a completely jarring and complex plot, tremendous performances, and a look into the meaning of life and dichotomy of good vs. bad.