"Filth" (2013)
Hmm…I don’t…I don’t really know what to do with this. I
watched this film for the second time recently so I decided, what the hell, let’s
write a review on it! I remember the first time I watched it (and even a
little now if I’m honest) the final credits were rolling and I was sitting sort
of bewildered wondering what the f*** did I just watch?
Well…Ok. Based on the book of the same name by Irvine Welsh,
it’s set in Scotland, and tells the twisted
story of a detective named Bruce Robertson.
Bruce wants a promotion. Basically, he thinks if he gets this promotion
then all the problems in his life will sort themselves out. There’s been a
murder, which Bruce’s boss wants him to solve. That’s basically the jist of the
plot…what happens in between is something I can’t quite conjure up
words for right now. It’s…it’s something. Sort of like, ok, “The Wolf of
Wallstreet” smashed together with “The Basketball Diaries” with the intensity
of “Pulp Fiction”…yeah. By the end I was just really lost and I didn’t actually
know what I’d just watched.
That being said, following contemplation, when you put
the crudeness and language aside, I think the script is actually structured fantastically.
Every single scene, every line becomes interconnected. It’s incredible. In
Bruce Robertson’s intro at the beginning, the entire tone of the film is set and
the character is set up precisely. Within the space of a minute you know
exactly what to expect and this remains the case right the way through the
film.
To sum up, the character of Bruce Robertson is scheming,
manipulative, misanthropic, homophobic, sexist…I don’t think I need to
continue. The fact that he is such a definite
character type and possesses all these characteristics so strongly, kind of
shows how much thought went into the writing of this story, which is something
I have to say I really liked about it. We know from the word go how god-awful a
person he is. Just…urgh there isn’t even a word in the English language. But underneath all that
there is still something about him that keeps you watching the film. We do see a human side to him and occasional moments of weakness, as there are reasons offered as to why he does the awful things he does. And dare I say it, once you know those reasons you can in small doses begin to relate to the character somehow, or at least try to understand. It's quite a clever film, really in some ways. While there is the bare basics of a plot, really this film is hugely character orientated, focusing completely on Bruce Robertson and his...issues. It's basically demonstrating how this character is, or becoming, a piece of filth. He dominates the film really, in every sense of the word: i.e. there is barely a shot he doesn't feature in, and his character is very domineering in general. Every time Bruce manages to get away with a particularly clever bit of manipulation, James McAvoy's eyes glide over to look at the camera, almost but not quite breaking the fourth-wall dimension until the final moments.
James McAvoy is just more than fantastic in this film.
Really, really…brilliant. This character
seems like it would have been very demanding, and he just…he’s outstanding. If
you watch this film, watch it for his performance. His acting knows no bounds.
It’s amazing. In fact, you know what? I absolutely love Leonardo DiCaprio and
am just as flabbergasted as everyone else by the fact the man has yet to
receive an Oscar, but while everyone is talking about him, here is this amazing actor who seems incredibly underrated and I
have no idea why. How James McAvoy has yet to even be nominated for an Oscar is
beyond me at this point. I’ve decided the Oscars are a joke. Look at the varied
array of characters he has played throughout his career and played them all to
such success. He really deserves one. Even for this film alone. There are actors/actresses out there who
are being overlooked and it’s not on at all. It’s ridiculous. That being said, James McAvoy was deservedly named Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards for this role.
There were moments throughout the film where Bruce experienced hallucinations. Like this little dying boy for example, and the actors heads being replaced by these god-awful
looking pig heads. – Which I like to think is a metopher for Bruce’s character,
because, well, he is a pig. – I don’t know if this was the intention? Either way
these moments frightened the sh** out of me. I kind of loved them
though because for me it took the emphasis off what Bruce was doing and made it
more fun to watch (if such phrasing can be used). I enjoy getting a fright in
movies. The rush is fun. You could argue that these moments take the genre into horror, also due to the quicker-paced movements of the camera.
The film has a great soundtrack. Because the film is set at Christmas
time, there are the few Christmas songs thrown in there and they just feel very out
of place to me given the context! But in a funny way…I think. I won’t ever be able to listen to
‘99 Red Balloons’ anymore without thinking of this film‼ The unplugged version of
Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ that features is really sad‼ But I actually really love it. The words and
the tone just fit the scene it’s in so flawlessly. I also quite like the song at
the end Billy Ocean’s ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’. I found it so random the
first time I watched this film but that might have partly been due to the
credit sequence accompanying it! I don’t know what it is about that song, it
just makes you smile, putting you in a good mood and has you automatically
thinking ‘oh yeah this film was good! I want to watch that again’. Which some
people will (like me, apparently) and some people just won’t, if even finish it. It’s the kind of one
where you either love it or you hate it, really. For me I can tell it’s going
to be one of those films I won’t like admitting I thought was really good
(because as a rule you should understand that I don't like it on account of the content), but will have this continued
fascination with it just because of its fabrication. – Much like how I feel towards The Exorcist, actually. – “Same
rules apply”(!!)
It’s the kind of film you wouldn’t want to take too seriously I think. After the
second time watching it, it felt so strange knowing what the outcome was. It was a brilliant twist though! I like it because it's not clichéd at all. You'll kind of look at each scene differently. You also sort of wonder why it is your second time watching this
film…*clears throat* I’m kind of curious how the book was written. I feel like it could be an
interesting read. I’m not enticed enough right now to find out, but…still
curious!
Yeah...I feel like when/if people I know ask or raise eyebrows at me for praising this film as much as I have in this review, I'm going to be telling them "Yeah it's a brilliant movie, but you won't like it" because, well...it is utterly insane. Bonkers even. But you can appreciate it a whole lot more when you take the writing and the actors' performances into consideration. I cannot stress enough how excellently structured the plot is. I’m not really sure how to conclude this review. Perhaps with a quote:
"The games are always, repeat always, being played. But nobody plays the games like me, Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson, soon to be Detective Inspector Bruce Robertson. You just have to be the best, and I usually am. Same rules apply."
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