It was an ambitious project, but one that seems to have paid off. Transferring Irvine Welsh’s brilliantly disgusting character, Bruce Robertson from page to screen in Filth sees James McAvoy excel, further swelling his already brilliant reputation.

Filth PosterThe critics have been waxing lyrical about Filth

The story follows Robertson – who is in fact an officer of the law, he’s PC Robertson – as he goes about his debouched ways. When a promotion rears its head and our benter-then-bent cop is enlisted to solve a brutal murder, he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if the aspirations of his colleagues threaten to block his path.

The critics have so far Eulogised McAvoy’s performance. The 34-year-old Glaswegian is probably best known for his roles in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement, but he just have forged an altogether darker picture of his acting talents in Filth.

James McAvoyJames McAvoy's performance has been singled out for praise

“A bulked-up James McAvoy dominates the screen in this razor-sharp Glasgow smile of a black comedy, packed with aberrant sex, hard drugs and maximum David Soul,” wrote prestigious film magazine Empire.

The film is “Dark, depraved and deeply funny, it sees director Jon S. Baird capturing Welsh's spirit, from its relentless pace to its soaring soundtrack,” say Total Film, while The Daily Telegraph’s Robbie Collin said “I loved every minute of Filth, and couldn't have stomached another second of it"

Check out the Filth trailer, over 18s only please

And it's even been a hit with American critics, with The Hollywood Reporter writing, “Detective Bruce Robertson is a diabolically unpleasant anti-hero, but somehow McAvoy and writer-director Jon S. Baird makes us feel sympathy for the devil.”

All this to say the uncompromising British crime flick has amassed an impressive score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from a total of thirteen reviews. It probably won’t stay at that lofty accumulation, but it’s certainly clear that Welsh’s latest adaption is a raging success.

James McAvoy FilthMcAvoy gets up to some pretty despicable things in Filth

Filth
You don't want to run into this gang on a cold, dark night

James McAvoy Coke Lines
Especially after PC Bruce has taken this much...