In Bruges (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'In Bruges' is a crime caper/dramedy written & directed by Martin McDonagh. 2 hitmen, Ray & Ken (Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson), are killing time in the well-preserved, medieval Belgian city of Bruges. Ken loves the quaint city, while Ray calls it a 'shit hole'. After a recent job (murder) goes wrong, Ray & Ken contemplate life, death, and why the Hell they're in this city. Their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), has put them there; but why? Farrell & Gleeson have fantastic chemistry here. The dialogue pops. The humor is great. And the gore/violence is aplenty. That is an incredibly odd, yet wholly original early-season surprise.
It is Christmas in Bruges. The architecture is gothic beautiful; the cobblestone streets are filled with cheery tourists; the Christmas decorations & lights twinkle in the Venice-like canals. Everything 'should' be light, airy, & crackling with warm, holiday spirit ... but no. You see, Harry is making Ray & Ken cool their heels after a job-gone-terrible-wrong. Haunted by the bloodshed he's caused back in London, Ray drowns his sorrows at the local pub. Ken is nothing like his partner, but because they're pals, he always has a keen eye on Ray, trying to keep him in order. Their relationship proves for some very funny exploits (Ray tells some overweight Americans that it's unwise to climb the narrow stairs of the clock tower; he encounters a dwarf who is shooting a European art movie).
While Ken is enamored with Bruges' serenity, Ray is busting at the seams. Skirting Dutch prostitutes & irksome Canadian tourists, Ray is thankful to meet Chloe (Clemence Poesy). She 'appears' to work on the set of the aforementioned European art movie, but she eventually divulges some of her own dark secrets to him. Ken's quiet vacation, and Ray's promiscuous romps are halted when the mysterious Harry finally calls. From here on in, the plot changes direction ... acutely. Ray contemplates suicide, Ken is faced with the biggest moral decision of his life, and in the final Act of this film ... blood showers down upon little Bruges.
It would be a disservice to tell any more of the plot; though, I WILL divert squeamish viewers from watching 'In Bruges'. And I will divert viewers who can't handle and/or follow pseudo-fairy tale/uber-surreal switches in story direction. This is a very bizarre film. At times, it's profane & hysterical. At other times, it is as serious as accidentally killing an innocent child. Colin Farrell plays a neurotic, irritable bloke very well (sort of similar to his character in the recent Cassandra's Dream, but better). Brendan Gleeson is simply great as the calm, all-knowing hit man who sees how his destiny will play out far before the ending of the movie. And Ralph Fiennes is a f*%*ing hoot as their mob boss. Basically, 'In Bruges' is part buddy flick, part gore fest, part dark comedy ... and I emphasize 'dark'.
Don't watch this film if you can't abide jokes aimed at heavy people, black people, or child abuse (that sounds awful, but in the context of this film's purpose, it works ... sort of). I appreciate the film much more so now than when I finished watching it; can't say the same for some of the other folks in the theater. The plot is unpredictable. And though I may not have liked some of what was going ON (I thought it was over on 3 separate occasions), I have to hand it to the director for making an offbeat film that lends interesting consequences for its' characters. I enjoyed the realistic, funny 1st half of the film. I even liked the brutal, surreal fairy tale 2nd half of the film. It's an odd balance; but a good one. 'In Bruges' is melancholic, contemplative, & thoroughly entertaining.
It is Christmas in Bruges. The architecture is gothic beautiful; the cobblestone streets are filled with cheery tourists; the Christmas decorations & lights twinkle in the Venice-like canals. Everything 'should' be light, airy, & crackling with warm, holiday spirit ... but no. You see, Harry is making Ray & Ken cool their heels after a job-gone-terrible-wrong. Haunted by the bloodshed he's caused back in London, Ray drowns his sorrows at the local pub. Ken is nothing like his partner, but because they're pals, he always has a keen eye on Ray, trying to keep him in order. Their relationship proves for some very funny exploits (Ray tells some overweight Americans that it's unwise to climb the narrow stairs of the clock tower; he encounters a dwarf who is shooting a European art movie).
While Ken is enamored with Bruges' serenity, Ray is busting at the seams. Skirting Dutch prostitutes & irksome Canadian tourists, Ray is thankful to meet Chloe (Clemence Poesy). She 'appears' to work on the set of the aforementioned European art movie, but she eventually divulges some of her own dark secrets to him. Ken's quiet vacation, and Ray's promiscuous romps are halted when the mysterious Harry finally calls. From here on in, the plot changes direction ... acutely. Ray contemplates suicide, Ken is faced with the biggest moral decision of his life, and in the final Act of this film ... blood showers down upon little Bruges.
It would be a disservice to tell any more of the plot; though, I WILL divert squeamish viewers from watching 'In Bruges'. And I will divert viewers who can't handle and/or follow pseudo-fairy tale/uber-surreal switches in story direction. This is a very bizarre film. At times, it's profane & hysterical. At other times, it is as serious as accidentally killing an innocent child. Colin Farrell plays a neurotic, irritable bloke very well (sort of similar to his character in the recent Cassandra's Dream, but better). Brendan Gleeson is simply great as the calm, all-knowing hit man who sees how his destiny will play out far before the ending of the movie. And Ralph Fiennes is a f*%*ing hoot as their mob boss. Basically, 'In Bruges' is part buddy flick, part gore fest, part dark comedy ... and I emphasize 'dark'.
Don't watch this film if you can't abide jokes aimed at heavy people, black people, or child abuse (that sounds awful, but in the context of this film's purpose, it works ... sort of). I appreciate the film much more so now than when I finished watching it; can't say the same for some of the other folks in the theater. The plot is unpredictable. And though I may not have liked some of what was going ON (I thought it was over on 3 separate occasions), I have to hand it to the director for making an offbeat film that lends interesting consequences for its' characters. I enjoyed the realistic, funny 1st half of the film. I even liked the brutal, surreal fairy tale 2nd half of the film. It's an odd balance; but a good one. 'In Bruges' is melancholic, contemplative, & thoroughly entertaining.