Lucky Number 7 Psychopaths

On Tuesday night I had a chance to see this movie in a sneak peek thanks to my friend, Andrea, who had an extra ticket. Or rather, thanks to Andrea's husband who had a Crossfit class to attend thus leaving her with an extra ticket. 

Starring just about every white male in Hollywood, this movie was fairly entertaining with some humor and gratuitous gore. The story unfolded much like Get Shorty unfolded, it seemed that the end "movie" was based on the lives of the characters of the movie in a whole 'chicken and egg' scenario with a Pulp Fiction essence. And I couldn't help but think of The Mexican, either, a movie that showed us, if it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Usually because someone lacked basic common sense skills. Not in a (modern) stupid comedy format where they just try and throw characters into ridiculous positions for the quick laugh, but more along the lines of waking up one day and realizing that friend you have who always seems to be a little "off" is somehow in control of your life.

The trailer (above) does the story of the movie no justice. 

Seven Psychopaths is about Marty, a scriptwriter who wants to write a movie about (you guessed it) seven psychopaths. Actually, at the beginning of the movie the title of his screenplay is the only part of the script he has written so far. Coincidentally, the writer/director of the movie is also named Marty (or, Martin). So, is this movie a reflection of a couple days of his life in a semi-autobiographical sort of way, or did he just want to be portrayed on screen by Colin Farrell? Who knows? Maybe there is some fact in this work of fiction. 

But Marty is stumped until his friend Billy, played by Sam Rockwell, shows him a story in the newspaper about, what could possibly, be his first psychopath. One story of a psychopath leads to another which results in a dognapped Shitzhu who belongs to yet another psychopath. Like I questioned earlier, did Martin (the screenwriter) just have a very bad week and write a script about it?

Oh, and there's a Vietnamese priest who probably represents some form spiritual growth or other quasi-metaphysical underlying meaning that I just didn't get. 

I can't really say too much about the movie without giving away the plot points and spoiling it for anyone who really wants to enjoy sitting in front of the screen and watching it for themselves. It's a fun film and while there is some comedy, I didn't think it as nearly as hilarious as the rest of the theater-goers apparently thought. I did find it nearly breaking the 4th Wall, or at least bumping up against it a few times, when the characters in the movie were giving plot points and critiques on the characters and the script the movie was (supposedly) based upon. 

Yeah, it was like that, chicken and eggy.

My friend, Andrea, said it reminded her of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, a movie I haven't seen since probably 1999, therefore I can make no comparison.

Spoiler Alert:  There was a "French" moment, a peyote moment and an "easter egg" in the credits.