Two Irish hitmen have to stay in Bruges and wait for a call. Ray (Colin Farrell) is a whiny, loveable man-child and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) a cultured man with a heart of gold. These are the two nicest hitmen you’ll ever see (hopefully) and both are excellently acted, radiating charisma. Harry (Ralph Fiennes), their boss, is a complete bastard though (though just as well acted).
Whilst waiting for the call, they explore the “fairy tale” town of Bruges, Ray meets a cute Belgian and asks her out to dinner and later on, both find themselves with a pair of prostitutes and a racist dwarf snorting cocaine off a coffee table in a hotel room. Very surreal without being abstract and art house. The dialogue is consistently excellent - sharp, snappy, full of black humour and witty lines with the correct spattering of un-pc remarks. Never does it feel tacky or like its dragging on. Along with very sympathetic and engaging characters, this movie has a theatrical feel to it.
That’s not to say that the setting isn’t taken advantage of. Great care has been taken in choosing the locations and keeping a consistent, sombre theme in the “best preserved medieval city in Europe.” A blanket soft greyness over the daytime scenes and plenty of dark indoors and night time ones keep the atmosphere fitting to the film - grim, but very classy. One particular artistic scene stands out in my mind - a man has been shot and staggers through a film set, surrounded by warped figures in masks and costumes.
Initially I thought there would be very little action; the movie based around the relationship of the two very different main characters. That would have been an interesting enough film. But there is, and the writer/director Martin McDonagh gets the perfect balance of shock and suspense. It’s thrilling, it pulls no punches and it utilises the quick-witted characters with plenty of great exchanges amongst the combat.
I can’t find anything to fault right now (shock! horror!), still euphoric after my viewing - this is a movie I would definitely watch again, despite now knowing all the twists and turns. Fine acting, fine writing and fine production, In Bruges is a modern classic.
*****
Whilst waiting for the call, they explore the “fairy tale” town of Bruges, Ray meets a cute Belgian and asks her out to dinner and later on, both find themselves with a pair of prostitutes and a racist dwarf snorting cocaine off a coffee table in a hotel room. Very surreal without being abstract and art house. The dialogue is consistently excellent - sharp, snappy, full of black humour and witty lines with the correct spattering of un-pc remarks. Never does it feel tacky or like its dragging on. Along with very sympathetic and engaging characters, this movie has a theatrical feel to it.
That’s not to say that the setting isn’t taken advantage of. Great care has been taken in choosing the locations and keeping a consistent, sombre theme in the “best preserved medieval city in Europe.” A blanket soft greyness over the daytime scenes and plenty of dark indoors and night time ones keep the atmosphere fitting to the film - grim, but very classy. One particular artistic scene stands out in my mind - a man has been shot and staggers through a film set, surrounded by warped figures in masks and costumes.
Initially I thought there would be very little action; the movie based around the relationship of the two very different main characters. That would have been an interesting enough film. But there is, and the writer/director Martin McDonagh gets the perfect balance of shock and suspense. It’s thrilling, it pulls no punches and it utilises the quick-witted characters with plenty of great exchanges amongst the combat.
I can’t find anything to fault right now (shock! horror!), still euphoric after my viewing - this is a movie I would definitely watch again, despite now knowing all the twists and turns. Fine acting, fine writing and fine production, In Bruges is a modern classic.
*****
