Short of the Week

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Dark Comedy Martin McDonagh
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Six Shooter

A black and bloody Irish comedy about a sad train journey where an older man, whose wife has died that morning, encounters a strange and possibly psychotic young oddball

Play
Dark Comedy Martin McDonagh
ma

Six Shooter

A black and bloody Irish comedy about a sad train journey where an older man, whose wife has died that morning, encounters a strange and possibly psychotic young oddball
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Six Shooter

Dark Comedy about Loss in Live-Action
Directed By Martin McDonagh
Made In Ireland

Having already scooped a handful of awards at this year’s BAFTAs here in the UK, Martin McDonagh’s latest feature Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri looks to be a strong favourite to walk away with a couple of Oscars at the 90th Academy Awards ceremony. Beginning his career in the Theatre, the playwright made the transition to film in 2004 with his directorial debut Six Shooter, a 26-minute short film that went on to win him the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2006.

Starring Brendan Gleeson, Six Shooter follows a man on the way home from the hospital after discovering his wife is dead. Sharing a train carriage with a couple whose baby has just died and a strange young man whose mother has also just passed, what should be a sombre journey takes a bizarre and dangerous turn for the bereaved widower.

It’s a dark, DARK comedy that begins in the realms of gritty drama, before gearing-up and moving through a little blood-soaked action (it’s certainly not a film for animal lovers!). The focus, like in all McDonagh’s films, is on character though. Whether it’s Gleeson’s forlorn Donnelly or Rúaidhrí Conroy’s ‘Kid’ (who feels like the template for every Sam Rockwell character in the director’s films), his characters feel completely fabricated, yet grounded in reality. No-one is completely likeable, but even the true degenerates of his tale have a somewhat charming edge to them. As you follow their journey you don’t know whether to laugh or cry – you might well do both…at the same time!

Since creating Six Shooter McDonagh has created three feature films, with In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths making up the trio with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The films have picked up a raft of awards at festivals worldwide and a win at this year’s Oscars could see the filmmaker’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s brightest writer/director’s cemented for years to come.

Six Shooter is an early indicator of the talent he has for storytelling and an eye-catching precursor to what was to come from this exciting filmmaker.