If a gun were put to my head....

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2017)

...this would be my number one movie. I know, I know...how can you choose one movie above all others? Yes, it's difficult to pick a favorite from each genre even, let alone mix and match genre's an pick an ultimate winner from the whole pile.
But I did say "if a gun were put to my head".. and a gun could be put to my head.. anytime, anywhere, sitting on a park bench in a children's playground even?
Of all the movies I've seen (and I've seen lots in 50 plus years), this is the leanest. No fleshing out, no padding, every frame has a purpose, every word uttered has a meaning. I've viewed quite a few of my favorite movies more than once, and on repeated viewings there's always a scene or a line of dialogue I notice which could have been better, or omitted even. But not here, and I've seen this movie A LOT!
I've read a review where the reviewer accuses the movie of being homophobic? RUBBISH! This movie treats everyone equally...Everyone get's hammered. Irish, English, Belgian, Dutch, American, Canadian, Homosexuals, Prostitutes, Hit-men, Midgets....EVERYONE! And if you treat everyone equally how can you be accused of being biased?
Gleeson is perfection as always (could he be otherwise?), ditto Fiennes, but the one who pulled out all the stops and was brilliant throughout was Colin Farrell. I simply didn't think he had a performance as good as this in him... I was wrong.
When I saw this movie initially, I thought to myself "Martin McDonagh, you're in deep s**t". I mean, how can he follow that up? Whatever comes next is bound to be inferior. And I was proved right.
He should have just packed his bags, found a cave somewhere and became a hermit, because following In Bruges was going to prove impossible. Funnily enough, his brother had the same problem, following on from the excellent (but not in this league!) "The Guard" with that horrific mess that was "Calvary". So why is that? That "2nd album" syndrome? I have a theory... it's time. On the first film, they have loads of time.. time to write, rewrite, check and re-check, add bits, throw out bits over months, maybe years, until it's perfect (in their eyes at least). But then it comes out, and... and another idea has to be found, and a script, and the studio is putting pressure on, so corners are cut, and scripts aren't redrafted as they needed to be, and ..... and that's my theory anyway.
But that's beside the point. This film is a cinematic masterpiece. If you haven't seen it...you just gotta! (unless you happen to be a gay, midget hit-man from Belgium of Irish/American and English/Canadian parentage.. then there's a chance you may be offended)