Synopsis: Bent cop with mental health and drug issues, Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy), fights for a promotion and to keep his head.
Stan's thoughts: It is always a joy to hear James McAvoy using his native Scottish accent and in a perverse way a joy to watch him play such a repugnant character - Bruce is racist, sexist and homophobic and totally without scruples about getting what he wants .
Filth is a gritty, psychedelic trip through the demise of a very disturbed man. Jim Broadbent plays Bruce's subconscious/therapist as a slightly sinister Australian and as Bruce's plans start to unravel and the truth behind his mental state is slowly revealed so the hallucinations and delusions and bad behaviour increase.
It is a dirty black comedy where you laugh uncomfortably but ultimately feel an ounce of empathy for our anti-hero by the end. James McAvoy went method to film this putting on weight and drinking half a bottle of whisky every night so that he would have the puffy, pale complexion of a substance abuser and a hangover to aid his performance and a great performance it is.
Filth is dark and uncomfortable and funny; I wouldn't want to spend much more than 97 minutes in Bruce's company but I'm glad for the time I did.
Ratings- Stan's: 78%
- IMDB: 75%
- Metascore: 70%
- Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
- RT audience rating: 79%
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