Crime, Drama, Comedy  •  2013  •  97 min  •  Adults (18+)

Filth (2013)

Filth poster

Filth (2013)


Rating & Dimensions

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Traditional
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Negative
Trans: Negative
Family Values: Mixed

Viewer Rating
6.5

Overview

Filth follows Bruce Robertson, a corrupt Edinburgh detective whose drug addiction, psychological collapse, and appetite for cruelty drive the story. Adapted from Irvine Welsh's novel, it sits comfortably in the grimy British crime-comedy tradition. The Leans Traditional label is modest and reflects the film's treatment of marginalised identities rather than any overt political stance. A same-sex affair is framed as a secret to exploit, and a trans character appears primarily as a prop in one of Bruce's cruel games. Neither portrayal offers much dignity. The film has no political agenda; it is a character study in moral disintegration. But the way it uses queer and trans identity as tools of humiliation nudges the needle away from progressive territory.


Starring Cast

James McAvoy  •   Jamie Bell  •   Eddie Marsan


Where to watch

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Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Leans Traditional

Primary

Political: Center
Confidence: High

The film primarily functions as a dark character study exploring individual moral decay, psychological trauma, and self-destruction, without explicitly promoting a specific political ideology or offering a societal solution to the problems it depicts. Its focus is on the personal tragedy of its protagonist rather than a broader political critique.

Diversity: Moderate
Confidence: Medium

The movie features traditional casting with a predominantly white ensemble. However, its narrative explicitly portrays the white, male protagonist as profoundly corrupt and morally bankrupt, making him the central negative force of the story.

Secondary

LGBTQ: Negative
Confidence: Medium

The film depicts a same-sex affair primarily as a secret vulnerability, which the abusive protagonist exploits for manipulation and degradation. This element serves to highlight the antagonist's cruelty and contributes to the overall dark and nihilistic tone, without offering any affirming or dignified portrayal of LGBTQ+ identity.

Trans: Negative
Confidence: Medium

The film features Amanda Drummond, a transsexual sex worker, who is manipulated by the protagonist, Bruce, to impersonate his colleague's wife as part of a cruel prank. Her trans identity is exploited for shock value and to humiliate another character, presenting her primarily as a prop in a malicious scheme rather than a developed individual. This portrayal lacks dignity and reinforces negative stereotypes.

Family Values: Mixed
Confidence: Low

The film portrays the complete breakdown of a family unit due to the protagonist's severe psychological issues and self-destructive behavior, focusing on the devastating consequences of his actions rather than endorsing or critiquing specific family structures or norms.

Female Combat: N/R

The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.

Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film "Filth" is an adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name. All major and significant characters in the film maintain the same gender as established in the original source material.

Race Swap: No
Confidence: High

The film is an adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel. Key characters, including protagonist Bruce Robertson, are portrayed by actors whose race aligns with the implicit racial depiction of those characters in the source material.

Hinduism: N/A
Confidence: High

Not depicted in the film.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

6.5

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
7.0
The Movie Database logo
6.8

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
6.6
Metacritic logo
5.6

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