A powerhouse performance from James McAvoy that deserves far more plaudits than it will inevitably receive anchors and humanises this relentlessly bizarre, twisted, disturbing, hilarious, depraved, dark, and brilliant movie. It feels like it was made just for my personal taste in film, which is always nice. Director and screenwriter Jon Baird deserves a lot of credit for bringing a near-unfilmable book to life in such a powerful, honest way that pulls no punches to an extent that makes most other movies seem watered down in comparison.
Bold and challenging, Filth is exactly what movies can and should be, and is seriously refreshing compared to formulaic films where you can predict what will happen next the whole way through. It doesn't come close to Trainspotting (but then not much does), and it's not for everyone (the three typical reactions seem to be love it, hate it, or 'what the fuck?'), but to be honest any movie that can spark these kinds of extreme feelings is worth your time and is something to be admired. One of the best of the year.
Throughout the duration of the movie I genuinely didn't understand what was going on but that is due to my limitations. However, everything became clear in the last 20 minutes or so. Nevertheless, McAvoy's performance was brilliant, seemless and un-contrived and is what kept my eyes glued to the screen ... even though I wasn't so sure what was happening :D
This movie made me say "What the fuck" more than once.
However it was the good kind of "What the fuck". This movie is definitely not for everyone, but i enjoyed it.
Filth is, like Trainspotting, an Irvine Welsh novel adaptation, and it seems Trainspotting is the template for how you should carry an Irvine Welsh novel to the big screen. Hallucinatory moments, savagely funny voice-over, fast-paced editing, the whole lot. Unlike Trainspotting, the lead character isn't all that sympathetic though. James McAvoy plays Bruce Roberston, a corrupt Edinburgh cop who cares more about his promotion than solving crimes, but his ambitions might be waylaid by a mental breakdown. McAvoy is well supported by a cast full of recognizable faces (even when a character doesn't actually have lines), most prominently Jim Broadbent* as a psychiatrist with a giant cranium, Imogen Poots as maybe the only good person on the police force, John Sessions as the restrained but bigoted boss, Shirley Henderson as the victim of Bruce's dirty phone calls, and Downton's Joanne Froggatt as perhaps the only purity in his life. So it's unfortunate that the movie doesn't always work. The ending is messy. And lot of the visual inventiveness comes from images that seem random (unless you read the book, presumably). I like many of the moments - as dark and offensive as it gets at times - but the adaptation from the novel could have used a bit more work.
Apart from reading an article in Empire about it once just before release, I didn't hear anything about this movie until I started seeing it in the DVD section of supermarkets. I presumed it'd gone straight-to-DVD and was a terrible film.
What a fantastic and unexpected shock! Absolutely incredible movie from start to finish, deserves way, way more attention than it sadly received and McAvoy's performance was off the scale, seriously impressive actor. In terms of notoriety, it's obviously no where near Trainspotting but, I'm part of a very, very small minority who isn't really that into that movie so I'd watch this over it any day. And I'll probably go out and buy the book now too.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 17
NPeeters
One of the weirdest films I have ever seen. James McAvoy was utterly brilliant.lachyas
A powerhouse performance from James McAvoy that deserves far more plaudits than it will inevitably receive anchors and humanises this relentlessly bizarre, twisted, disturbing, hilarious, depraved, dark, and brilliant movie. It feels like it was made just for my personal taste in film, which is always nice. Director and screenwriter Jon Baird deserves a lot of credit for bringing a near-unfilmable book to life in such a powerful, honest way that pulls no punches to an extent that makes most other movies seem watered down in comparison.Bold and challenging, Filth is exactly what movies can and should be, and is seriously refreshing compared to formulaic films where you can predict what will happen next the whole way through. It doesn't come close to Trainspotting (but then not much does), and it's not for everyone (the three typical reactions seem to be love it, hate it, or 'what the fuck?'), but to be honest any movie that can spark these kinds of extreme feelings is worth your time and is something to be admired. One of the best of the year.
Jace Lightner
Throughout the duration of the movie I genuinely didn't understand what was going on but that is due to my limitations. However, everything became clear in the last 20 minutes or so. Nevertheless, McAvoy's performance was brilliant, seemless and un-contrived and is what kept my eyes glued to the screen ... even though I wasn't so sure what was happening :DBizarre, to say the least.
mathiasa
Pussy's for FaggotsEvenhumm
This movie made me say "What the fuck" more than once.However it was the good kind of "What the fuck". This movie is definitely not for everyone, but i enjoyed it.
jamesmcavoy
So wrong in so many ways, yet absolutely hilarious. And as always Mr McAvoy excels. Fantastic.Musanna
Bizarre but enjoyable.Siskoid
Filth is, like Trainspotting, an Irvine Welsh novel adaptation, and it seems Trainspotting is the template for how you should carry an Irvine Welsh novel to the big screen. Hallucinatory moments, savagely funny voice-over, fast-paced editing, the whole lot. Unlike Trainspotting, the lead character isn't all that sympathetic though. James McAvoy plays Bruce Roberston, a corrupt Edinburgh cop who cares more about his promotion than solving crimes, but his ambitions might be waylaid by a mental breakdown. McAvoy is well supported by a cast full of recognizable faces (even when a character doesn't actually have lines), most prominently Jim Broadbent* as a psychiatrist with a giant cranium, Imogen Poots as maybe the only good person on the police force, John Sessions as the restrained but bigoted boss, Shirley Henderson as the victim of Bruce's dirty phone calls, and Downton's Joanne Froggatt as perhaps the only purity in his life. So it's unfortunate that the movie doesn't always work. The ending is messy. And lot of the visual inventiveness comes from images that seem random (unless you read the book, presumably). I like many of the moments - as dark and offensive as it gets at times - but the adaptation from the novel could have used a bit more work.Malteser
why isn't this movie on top of the cult movie list?Sarcastic Miss Know-It-All
McAvoy is at his most brilliant, ranging from emotionally vulnerable to bad boy to certifiably insane.The soundtrack is also a delight.
Another great, unsettling story brought to you by the unhinged imagination of Irvine Welsh.
operationdropkick
Apart from reading an article in Empire about it once just before release, I didn't hear anything about this movie until I started seeing it in the DVD section of supermarkets. I presumed it'd gone straight-to-DVD and was a terrible film.What a fantastic and unexpected shock! Absolutely incredible movie from start to finish, deserves way, way more attention than it sadly received and McAvoy's performance was off the scale, seriously impressive actor. In terms of notoriety, it's obviously no where near Trainspotting but, I'm part of a very, very small minority who isn't really that into that movie so I'd watch this over it any day. And I'll probably go out and buy the book now too.
Cadeicus
Great acting by James McAvoy, and a good soundtrack (apart from Darude - Sandstorm).Todolojodo
Very fucking outrageous and excellent!!!I shit on god!
royalspikey77
Very interesting movie. Lots going on here, most of it excellent. Well worth checking out.NourNasreldin
McAvoy truly shines in this one. He's a genius yet to be recognized. I wish there were more actors with a talent like his.An incredible ride with outstanding acting, cinematography, soundtrack and plot. Definitely a new favourite.
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