Filth (November 2013)

Official Australian release date: 21/11/13. Viewed: 11/11/13.

Director: Jon S. Baird
Actors: James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, Jim Broadbent, Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots
Genre: Crime / Comedy / Drama 
Rating: R18+.

‘Filth’ is Irvine Welsh’s second novel turned into a film, after ‘Trainspotting’. I actually wasn’t aware of this when I watched the film, but it was very obvious throughout and is quite similar in many regards – not least because it’s set in Scotland and the main character is a junkie who keeps making bad decisions.

It’s billed as a “comedy” – and it has moments that are funny – but it’s definitely not comedic. McAvoy plays Inspector Bruce Robertson, who is climbing the ladder of cocaine addiction (as depicted by the film’s poster) to try and get a promotion. It’s just that it turns out a lot of his “games” and ambitions are delusions and hallucinations. This makes some of the film a little like trying to solve a puzzle, although it’s clear that his family are not actually there from the start.  

While there’s still a few “what the?!” moments, you do have a bit of empathy for McAvoy, even though he treats his one friend, Bladesey (Marsan), terribly. The soundtrack throughout is excellent, even the cover of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’, which is hard to pull off. The “mystery” is solved near the end and the final scene is fitting – hopeful and heartbreaking, all at once.

Overall: An OK Scottish crime ‘dramedy’ – if you like ‘Trainspotting’, you’ll like ‘Filth’, but Guy Ritchie’s British crime films are much more enjoyable in my opinion.

Gav's Rating: 3 stars.