By Ally Ruiz

Staff Writer

Academy Award-winning director Martin McDonagh has stunned movie critics once again with his latest movie “7 Psychopaths,” which premiered Sept. 29 at the San Diego Film festival and earned 4 ½ stars.

The film opens in wide release Oct. 12 with an all-star cast that includes Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Tom Waits, Christopher Walken, Abbie Cornish and Olga Kurylenko. McDonagh wrote the script and directed the film.

The film begins with Irish-bred alcoholic screenwriter Marty Faranan (Farrell) who has a brilliant title for his next film, “7 Psychopaths,” but no story. Marty keeps company with his girlfriend Kava (Cornish) and his best friend Billy (Rockwell). Billy makes his living by stealing dogs with his friend Hans (Walken) and returning them to their grateful owners for reward money.

Billy’s scheme goes terribly awry when he and Hans pilfer a prized Shih Tzu named Bonny from L.A. gangster Charlie (Harrelson). Determined to find the thieves who nabbed Bonny from her dog-walker, Charlie goes on a killing spree. I had the opportunity to interview McDonagh at the film festival.

Casually dressed in a button-up shirt and sleek blazer with jeans to finish off his stylish look, he spoke highly of the actors in his cast, many of whom he has worked with before. Farrell starred in McDonagh’s Oscar-nominated film “In Bruges,” and Walken and Rockwell starred in McDonagh’s Broadway play “A Behanding in Spokane.”

“They’re great, they’re such great actors, fun guys to be around, so it’s funny,” McDonagh said. “I think most actors like good dialogue to play with. We had that, so yeah it was a joy. They’re all kind of friends together as well, more like a family.” 4 ½ stars