Plot
A bipolar, bigoted junkie cop manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 7.1/10 (33,911 voted)
Critic's Score: 69/100
Director: Jon S. Baird
Stars: James McAvoy, Jamie Bell, Eddie Marsan
Storyline
Scheming Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy), a bigoted and corrupt policeman, is in line for a promotion and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Enlisted to solve a brutal murder and threatened by the aspirations of his colleagues, including Ray Lennox (Jamie Bell), Bruce sets about ensuring their ruin, right under the nose of unwitting Chief Inspector Toal. As he turns his colleagues against one another by stealing their wives and exposing their secrets, Bruce starts to lose himself in a web of deceit that he can no longer control. His past is slowly catching up with him, and a missing wife, a crippling drug habit and suspicious colleagues start to take their toll on his sanity. The question is: can he keep his grip on reality long enough to disentangle himself from the filth?
Writers: Jon S. Baird, Irvine Welsh
Cast: James McAvoy -
Bruce
Jamie Bell -
Lennox
Eddie Marsan -
Bladesey
Imogen Poots -
Drummond
Brian McCardie -
Gillman
Emun Elliott -
Inglis
Gary Lewis -
Gus
John Sessions -
Toal
Shauna Macdonald -
Carole
Jim Broadbent -
Dr. Rossi
Joanne Froggatt -
Mary
Kate Dickie -
Chrissie
Martin Compston -
Gorman
Iain De Caestecker -
Ocky
Shirley Henderson -
Bunty
Trivia:
In the first draft of the car singing scene the song was originally 'I Wanna Know What Love Is' by Foreigner. Irvine Welsh chose 'Silver Lady' as it's a karaoke favourite. See more »
Goofs:
While on holiday in Hamburg, Bladesey reads from his guidebook and tells Bruce that modern Germany has been in existence since 1865. The unification of Germany actually took place in 1871. See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 8/10
I left the cinema speechless; i normally try to critique and discuss
the film straight after, but i was speechless. It was the craziest film
i have seen in a long time. It takes boundaries and tells them to f***
off. There are no restrictions with this film. There is brutality,
sexism, racism, oppression, homophobia. It is polluted with prejudice.
But i thought it was a great film. Am i part of those worldly problems?
No. But let's face it, this is unfortunately the way the world is and
all this film is doing is showing you just how filthy this world can
be.
James McAvoy is a revelation as Detective Bruce Robertson; i really
didn't see all the fuss with him. Yes he was good in "The Last King of
Scotland", but the rest of the films i just couldn't match the hype to
the actor, then i went to see "Trance" and i was blown away by his
performance. And if it weren't for seeing that i probably wouldn't have
been half as eager to see this. Because he showed the ability to
portray more than one character in a film; someone who is both fragile
and unstable. With "Filth" he excels beyond that and gives his best
showing of his young career. He conveys every emotion, from bitterness,
to regret, to sadness, to rage, to insanity and he conveys them
extremely convincingly. It is a masterclass of acting.
Some may be easily offended, and if you are usually like that, i would
avoid seeing the film. But if you want to face the World and its
obvious problems head on (in the form of a film) then it is an
outstanding film to do so.
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