In Bruges

Movie, 2008, R

Premise -Two hitmen are instructed to travel to Bruges, Belgium, to await further instruction after their last job goes terribly wrong. Dealing with the the guilt of having accidentally shot and killed a child, the hitmen attempt to ease their mind by doing some sightseeing around the magical sights of Bruges, while anxiously awaiting the news of who they must kill next.

Review - I'm familiar with Martin McDonagh, quite fond of him actually, but had yet to see what is arguably his most popular work! I was first introduced to McDonagh with Seven Psychopaths, and then read the script of his play The Cripple of Inishmaan because Daniel Radcliffe took it to the West End and Broadway in 2013-14. Most recently, I saw Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in theaters and wrote a review. I think it's safe to say I have familiarized myself with his dark comedy quite well, yet I was still unprepared for the brilliance of this movie.

I suppose I fell into the same hole that many did while seeing The Cripple of Inishmaan. I remember watching an interview, where the interviewer (I think it was MTV's Josh Horowitz?) recounted the thought process one undergoes while watching. First, the play appears to be about dialogue. Second, about character. Finally, once the story kicks in, does the audience realize this is truly a story abot plot. I went through the exact same mental process with In Bruges, except on a much greater and more dramatic scale than The Cripple of Inishmaan, and for the better.

I went into this movie completely blind. I knew I would be watching a dark comedy, probably with some guns and an all-star cast, but I knew nothing of the characters or their circumstances. Therefore, I started out the same. First, it appeared to be a film about dialogue. Darkly comedic, heavily Irish-accented dialogue. Not much happens - it's slow and expository, but gorgeously shot. I would have watched a whole film of this manner just for the art of it.

Then it appears to be a film about character. We know from the very first line of the movie that these are hitmen, but not much else. Finally, mid-way through the movie, we learn that one of the hitmen, on his very first job, accidentally shot a young boy through the head, killing him instantly. The guilt eats up at him inside, as he reconciles with the career choice he made. Again, I would have watched a whole film of this manner just for the character exploration.

But finally, the plot kicks in. One hitman is instructed to kill the other hitman. Throughout the latter half of the movie, the plot increases exponentially, until at the very end we're faced with a giant shootout and characters dying left and right. What starts out as a slow, artsy film turns into a highly suspenseful action movie, and doesn't let up even at the very end of the film. We're left to interpret whether the main character lives or dies.

No matter the pace of the scene I was watching, I found it to be pure brilliance from start to finish. The slow scenes were just as expertly crafted as the fast-paced scenes, as was everything in between. Dark comedy holds a very special place in my heart. I know it does for Colin Farrell as well, which is what makes for such interesting film choices on his part. He gave an amazing performance as this conflicted killer. His odd facial expressions were a comedic highlight, but yet he also gave an incredibly empathetic performance. I'd like to think he lived and did something good for the world afterwards.

And lastly, shout out to Bruges. I'm sure everyone who has seen this film shares the same sentiment where now they'd absolutely want to travel there. The punchline of the all of the jokes was about how horrible and miserable the main character finds the medieval town to be, while the rest of the characters think it's an absolutely magical, fairy-tale setting. It looked absolutely stunning on camera, and now has the added appeal of being the setting of such a great film. That probably attracts a lot of tourists, so good for Bruges! (93/100)

Quote - "A great day this has turned out to be. I'm suicidal, me mate tries to kill me, me gun gets nicked and we're still in fuckin' Bruges!"

What to watch for - I mentioned there is an all star cast! Colin Farrell is obviously the star, but his co-star is Brendan Gleeson, another Irish treasure. Other cast members include Ralph Fiennes and Clemence Poesy (literally every actor I have mentioned has had some role in the Harry Potter universe, if you include Fantastic Beasts, so that's always a plus).

If you liked this movie, I recommend Seven Psychopaths!

Written and directed by Martin McDonagh
Distributed by Universal Studios and Focus Features