War On Everyone * *

    It’s hard to believe this is written and directed by the same person who wrote and directed Calvary, which would have to be be one of the most perfect films I have seen, but it is.

Alexander responds to my review

  I’m afraid this is no match for the greatness John Michael McDonagh showed in Calvary or even his earlier film, The Guard. To be frank, War On Everyone is a little bit of a mess.

   Maybe if he’d done it in Dublin or Belfast it might have worked better. But It’s set in Albuquerque New Mexico and something (nay nearly everything) is lost in Translation.

   There is some sharp dialogue, shocking behaviour and pretty good acting.  But despite the smart cracks, the fights, the shootings and a sterling effort from all the performers (Alexander Skarsgard in the lead)  It just lacks heart or honesty or credibility.

   It’s a comedy drama.  A couple of shamelessly corrupt cops decide to shake down every crim they know, but unsurprisingly the crims fight back. Especially the baddest of them who is an English Lord (of course).  If he were an English Lord in Dublin, you’d think he got what he had coming to him. But in Alburquerque his title means nothing.

   I might be wrong but my guess is this was originally written to be set in an Irish City in the Seventies. It would make perfect sense. They drive cars from the seventies, the music is seventies (the lead character is a Glen Campbell obsessive) the books his girlfriend reads are all 70’s paperbacks.

Iceland is featured. Someone on the run from Ireland going to Iceland makes perfect sense, but from New Mexico!?

  You just sense the whole thing has been rushed out at first draft stage. It’s  out of time and out of place, but for all the papering over and redesigning, who it want’s to be and where it wants to be keeps breaking through.

  You feel like saying, do it again. and this time be yourself.