James McAvoy: Movie review: Filth (5 stars)

DAILY RECORD
By Garry McConnachie
September 23, 2013

ADAPTING an Irvine Welsh novel for the big screen can be fraught with danger. Especially following the outstanding Trainspotting.

Some have tried - and failed - to make the transition work. Most recently Rob Heydon's Ecstasy was met with critical and public derision.

However, Scots director Jon S Baird could be set to step out from the shadow of Danny Boyle's 1996 effort with Filth - one of the most ballsy and in-your-face black comedies to hit the big screen in quite a while.

Those who have read the book will know all about the debauched exploits of Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy). For those who haven't, he's an Edinburgh police officer. To say he's an extreme character would be doing him a disservice. Happy to snort coke on the job, sleep with a colleague's wife and manipulate anyone who gets in his way, Bruce doesn't seem to have any boundaries.

With a detective inspector promotion in the offing, Bruce is tasked with leading a case involving the murder of a Japanese student in the capital. However, his extra-curricular activities begin to get in the way. Add to this is his attempts to be reconciled with his wife and daughter and this is no teddy bears' picnic.

It's worth starting with the obvious. Filth is explicit, OTT and, quite often, surreal. This isn't a film for the easily offended or the weak of heart. Much of what happens on screen is jaw-dropping in its absurdity. But all of it works a treat down to a bizarre cameo that's worth admission money on its own. Bruce is such a big character that everything he does is amplified. Dishevelled and constantly drunk, he's not the shy retiring type.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/movies/movie-dvd-reviews/movie-review-filth-2294907

Martin Freeman, Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike:'The World's End' review: A fresh, funny pub crawl (review)

SF GATE

Mick LaSalle

Updated 3:33 pm, Thursday, August 22, 2013

Nick Frost (left), Eddie Marsan, Simon Pegg, Paddy Considine and Martin Freeman play old friends on a drinking binge in "The World's End." Photo: Laurie Sparham, Focus Features

Comedy-adventure. Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman. Directed by Edgar Wright. (R. 109 minutes.)

One of the weirder aspects of adolescence is that it's possible to have close friends you don't like, that you're just thrown in with. In "The World's End," one of those friends comes back into the lives of his four former high school buddies, two decades later, hoping to re-create the most glorious day of his youth, an all-night drinking binge. And they give in to the force of his personality and agree to join him.

For about an hour, "The World's End" is the story of four settled men, in early middle age, dutifully following their old school friend from pub to pub. Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan are all talented actors, with Frost and Freeman particularly skilled in comedy, and together the five principals create the sense of men who have known each other for many years. The banter is effortless; the comedy flows.

Then the movie takes a turn into a rather unexpected direction, one foretold in the coming attractions trailer, and one that will probably be discussed in most reviews, but I won't do it here, because I enjoyed the surprise. To state it generally, the movie goes from a character study to something that is quite nutty, and yet it loses nothing in the transition. The characters stay vivid, the interaction essential, and the issues introduced remain on the table and continue to be developed. There's just this whole other crazy thing going on at the same time.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/The-World-s-End-review-A-fresh-funny-pub-crawl-4753255.php

MARTIN FREEMAN, SIMON PEGG, ROSAMUND PIKE: The World's End Review: It's Barmageddon as Pegg's pub crawl turns into a dash to save mankind (MIRROR) BY MARK ADAMS

THE VERDICT

In Shaun of the Dead they tackled zombies, in Hot Fuzz they took on small-town police and mobsters but for their latest dose of ­laddish camaraderie Pegg, Frost and director Edgar Wright take on their biggest challenge – a pub crawl with the end of the world at stake. It is a film that has everything – ­excessive beer quaffing, hand-to-hand combat, romance, male bonding and the prospect that the end of their pub crawl might see these old, but rather mismatched, mates ­involved in a fight – not just for their future, but for the whole of mankind.

Pegg quite bravely leaves behind his warm-and-matey persona to play the rather ­obnoxious Gary King, a failure whose only real aspiration in life seems to be to gather his old pals for a drinking tour in the home town they haven’t visited for years. Against all the odds they agree to his suggestion, despite his one-time best friend Andy (Frost) falling out with him years before and Steven (Considine) still harbouring a grudge because Andy took the girl he was in love with. ­Oliver (Freeman) and Peter (Marsan) are not ­convinced by Andy’s plan but are willing to give it a go.

The pub crawl sees the false camaraderie hilariously demolished, especially when Oliver’s sister Sam (Pike), the woman Steven and Gary both lusted after, arrives on the scene.

It seems locals they thought ­unwelcoming have good reason to be.

It turns out they are actually aliens who have taken over the forms of townspeople, and they are not too happy with the boozy band.

When things get serious, sleeves are rolled up and pub fights ensue (with Frost an almost lithe martial arts machine) as they try to make it to The World’s End, and the climax of their majestic quest.

Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/going-out/film/review-worlds-end-15-109mins-2049834#ixzz2Z7hBwUEb 

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Mark Adams...

Full Trailer for FILTH Starring James McAvoy movie news | 10 Jul 2013 |

New trailer for the adaptation of Irvine Welsh's controversial dark novel about a crooked Edinburgh copper, hitting Irish cinemas Oct 4th.

READ MORE HERE:  http://www.movies.ie/movie_news/1190877/Full_Trailer_for_FILTH_Starring_James_McAvoy

Martin Freeman, Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike: THE WORLD’S END Trailer is Here and It’s Awesome Posted by Karin Abcarians - 05/08/2013 - (SCREEN INVASION)

The first trailer for Edgar Wright’s The World’s End has arrived! It’s hilarious, weird and completely awesome! It stars Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike and is of course directed by Edgar Wright with writing by him and Simon Pegg.

Here’s the synopsis of the film: Director Edgar Wright and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite for a third film following the successes “Shaun of the Dead” (2004) and “Hot Fuzz” (2007).

In “The World’s End,” 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub – The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries.

 Here’s the trailer:

Read more at http://screeninvasion.com/2013/05/the-worlds-end-trailer/#Bz6vvr1K3LJ44QIO.99

Martin Freeman: Edgar Wright’s ‘The World’s End’ Moved Up To July 19th In The UK – Starring Rosamund Pike, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost & Martin Freeman (FLICKS AND BITS)

Great news UK folks, Edgar Wright has just Tweeted that ‘The World’s End’ is hitting UK cinemas on July 19th, a month earlier than its previously announced August 14th bow.  The film is the third instalment of Wright’s trilogy of comedies, following the thoroughly awesome ‘Shaun of the Dead’ (2004) and ‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007). Wright co-wrote the script for ‘The World’s End’ with Simon Pegg, who will once again star alongside Nick Frost. Joining Pegg and Frost are the likes of Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, and Rosamund Pike. The film is set for a August 23rd release in the US. Expect to see the trailer soon!

In ‘The World’s End,’ 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub – The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realise the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries. The production notes for the film can be read below.

READ MORE: http://www.flicksandbits.com/2013/04/23/edgar-wrights-the-worlds-end-moved-up-to-july-19th-in-the-uk-starring-simon-pegg-nick-frost-martin-freeman/45406/

Martin Freeman: 'The World's End': Simon Pegg, Martin Freeman, Nick Frost in new image Published Monday, Mar 25 2013, 1:16pm EDT | By Emma Dibdin (DIGITAL SPY)

A new image from The World's End has been released.

The long-awaited third film in Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy - following 2004's Shaun of the Dead and 2006's Hot Fuzz - centres on five friends who reunite to recreate a pub crawl from their teenage years.


Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Eddie Marsan appear in the image as the five, who unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

Pegg's character Gary is described as a 40-year-old man clinging desperately to his teenage years, while Frost's Andy is a successful lawyer.

Freeman, Considine and Marsan play the other three friends - an estate agent, a rocker-turned-architect and a car dealer respectively.

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a468343/the-worlds-end-simon-pegg-martin-freeman-nick-frost-in-new-image.html#ixzz2OhNxNnhj 
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Set Pics Unveil First Look At James McAvoy & Jim Broadbent In 'Filth' NEWS BY KEVIN JAGERNAUTH ( (INDIEWIRE)

We won't be seeing James McAvoy on the big screen in 2012, but by this time next year, he'll have been the centerpiece of quite a few promising films. His slate includes: the thriller "Welcome To The Punch"; the duo of films "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His" and "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers" alongside Jessica Chastain; and Danny Boyle's art world tale "Trance." And if that's not enough, he'll be getting dirty with "Filth." And we now have our first peek at that movie.

Read more: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/set-pics-unveil-first-look-at-james-mcavoy-jim-broadbent-in-filth-20121009#

Martin Freeman Joins Edgar Wright’s World’s End Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 1:45pm by Kevin Melrose (SPIN OFF)

As filming officially begins on The World’s End, Martin Freeman has joined stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the conclusion of director Edgar Wright’s comedy trilogy that began in 2004 with Shaun of the Dead and continued in 2007 with Hot Fuzz.

Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, The Bourne Ultimatum), Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes) and Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher) also have been added to the cast.

Written by Wright and Pegg, The World’s End picks up 20 years after an epic pub crawl, with a 40-year-old Gary King (Pegg) dragging his childhood friends back to their hometown to make another attempt at reaching the fabled pub … The World’s End. But as they try to reconcile the past with the present, they realize the struggle isn’t only for their future but for humanity’s.


READ MORE: http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2012/09/28/the-hobbit-star-martin-freeman-joins-edgar-wrights-worlds-end/

THE BRIT LIST: TOP TEN BRITISH CHARACTER ACTORS IN MOVIES TODAY By Leah Rozen | Posted on Friday, July 20th, 2012 (BBC AMERICA)

It’s well known among actors that while leading roles may afford the most screen time and biggest pay checks, supporting roles offer the greater acting challenges and often juiciest lines and scenes.

As Britain’s Eddie Marsan, one of the most talented character actors working today, once said, “I have friends who are leading men, and they’re only ever allowed to play leading men of a certain type. But as a character actor, there’s a wider variety of projects available.”

While a few lucky character actors eventually become leading men – think Bob Hoskins, Alan Rickman, Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy – most, thanks to physiognomy, build or age, are left to shine in secondary roles.

British thespians have always excelled as character actors. Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Donald Crisp, C. Aubrey Smith, Roland Young and plenty more regularly brightened studio releases.

The tradition continues today. Just run through the cast list for any of the eight Harry Potter films and you’ll find a veritable Who’s Who of British talent trotted out as characters who either instruct Harry and his adolescent pals or threaten them.

In salute of these supporting stalwarts, here’s a list (in alphabetical order) of the ten busiest British male character actors working in movies today:


READ MORE: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2012/07/the-brit-list-top-ten-british-character-actors-in-movies-today/

James McAvoy Enjoyed Working On Filth (FEMALE FIRST)

29th March 2012

 James McAvoy has called his time on new movie Filth as an 'amazing experience'.

 Filth is the latest novel of Irvine Welsh to be adapted for the big screen and with see the actor take on the role of a drug addicted policeman.

 And while it may be a very dark role for McAvoy he admits that he has had a great time working on the movie, which is directed by Jon S. Baird. Speaking to The Press Association the actor said: "It's dark as all hell and funny as all hell and fingers crossed it should be good.

 "It was an amazing experience making the film and one that I'll cherish for the rest of my career really. "You can never tell if it's going to be good, but if it's as good as it felt, at the end of the day we should have a good movie on our hands."

 Filth sees McAvoy team up with Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots, Jim Broadbent and Eddie Marson.


READ MORE:  http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/movies/movie-news/James+McAvoy-233451.html

James McAvoy in Hamburg, Germany to film "Filth" (JUST JARED)

James McAvoy joins members of the cast and crew of his upcoming movie Filth at the Freedom Bar on Monday (March 12) in Hamburg, Germany. The 32-year-old Scottish actor met up with the film’s director, Jon S. Baird, producers Jens Meurer and Ken Marshall, and costar Eddie Marsan

CONTINUE READING JUST JARED:  http://www.justjared.com/2012/03/14/james-mcavoy-in-germany-for-filth/

REVIEW: ‘Tyrannosaur.’ A British Indie With Great Acting but a Bleak Tone.

 By Tim Grierson | The Projector – Tue, Nov 15, 2011 4:00 PM EST

Strand Releasing

"Tyrannosaur" is very much an actors' movie, which turns out to be as much of a mixed blessing as you might expect. Written and directed by Paddy Considine (the star of "In America"), the film brings together a small collection of superb performers (including Peter Mullan and Eddie Marsan) to deliver sensitive, tough material in an honest, affecting way. But while you get pulled in by the drama and the unflinching performances, "Tyrannosaur" is never more than its unlucky characters milling about in their misery. You long for a story as interesting as the cast.

The movie's despairing tone matches the gray British skies hanging over the characters. Joseph (Mullan) is a drinker still reeling from his wife's death about five years ago. He's a violent cuss and it appears that his rundown home hasn't been cleaned up since his spouse passed. Then one day he meets Hannah (Olivia Colman), a religious woman who runs a secondhand clothing store. Joseph doesn't want her prayers, but he does become concerned for the woman's welfare after realizing she's in a physically abusive relationship with her husband James (Marsan).

This is Considine's feature directorial debut, although he made a short film ("Dog Altogether") that starred Mullan and Colman and focused on the Joseph character. While I haven't seen the short, it's not surprising that "Tyrannosaur" builds around Joseph since he's clearly the story's anchor. Recalling the aging, angry men in "Gran Torino" and "Harry Brown," Joseph isn't someone we're supposed to savor as some adorable old crank. No, Joseph is a mean, cruel person -- he takes particular joy in telling Hannah how little he cares about God -- and his sad situation isn't meant to entirely rationalize his gruff behavior.

But while Mullan, who's been in "Trainspotting" and the forthcoming "War Horse," doesn't make you love Joseph, he does give the character a taciturn consistency that at least allows you to understand him. Joseph's attempts to help Hannah are in some ways predictable -- the old meany finds redemption by helping the young, good-hearted woman -- but Considine doesn't make anything easy on anybody in his movie. The three principals in "Tyrannosaur" are all stubborn and frustrating in their own way, and while Hannah is easily the most sympathetic she too has issues that threaten to destroy her. There's no clear-cut happy ending for these people, and "Tyrannosaur" makes you understand that reality in often poignant ways.

Considine has largely starred in dramas over his career -- although he has done cheeky comedy in "Hot Fuzz" and "Submarine" -- and "Tyrannosaur" has its moments of dark humor amidst the despair. What it doesn't have, sadly, is a lot of forward momentum. Considine invests in his characters, and he and his actors work to make them as lived-in as possible. (There are several scenes that feel like they'd be good acting showcases for aspiring thespians to study in order to learn subtlety and nuance.) But the movie's unrelenting misery can start to feel like a crutch, as if Considine and his cast equated bleakness with truth. It's hardly a debilitating problem, but it does keep "Tyrannosaur" from being as absorbing as it could be. Considine has made a movie about people living on the margins, so it's unfortunate that it's only marginally effective.

Grade: B

 (sorry agaiu about the advertisement in the beginning - can't seem to get away from them)

The Projector