Review of In Bruges (2008) by Andy S — 24 Dec 2012

This is my third viewing of this film; I guess I must like it! Very darkly comic with more than a hint of tragedy underlying the narrative; with each viewing I get more out of it. I donâ(TM)t know whether itâ(TM)s Colin Farrellâ(TM)s portrayal of the slightly dim witted hit man or Brendan Gleesonâ(TM)s take on the world weary and more experienced practitioner of the art. But I find myself having great affection for these two characters despite the fact I really shouldnâ(TM)t! But I digress, hereâ(TM)s a brief summary before I expand on my thoughts some more⦠I should say, for the record, that what follows is mostly my original review with a few tweaks and additions.

Two hit men, Ray and Ken have been sent to lie low in Bruges (Belgium, for those that donâ(TM)t know where it is) by their boss, Harry, after a bungled hit. They check into their hotel only to find, to their dismay, that they will be sharing a room. This does not go down well, but itâ(TM)s near Christmas and everywhere is fully booked. The two men are complete opposites, Ken is quite cultured and is happy to go sightseeing in the medieval city. Ray, on the other hand, is much younger and would be happier spending his time in a bar. Ken insists they do some culture and Ray acts like a bored teenager. That is until he discovers a film crew who have a dwarf in the cast, he is fascinated with Jimmy. There he also meets the mysterious Chloe, who he invites out on a date. That evening Harry calls and tells Ken the real purpose for their visit. I will leave my summary here so as not to enrage the spoiler police too much.

I think the Bruges tourist board will be very happy with this film; the medieval architecture comes across beautifully. The cinematography is great and the setting adds real atmosphere. Great performances all round, particularly from; Colin Farrell as Ray, Brendan Gleeson as Ken and Ralph Fiennes as Harry, all were excellent. Honourable mentions also go to; Clà (C)mence Poà (C)sy as Chloe and Jordan Prentice as Jimmy, both were also very good.

There are a lot of comic moments in this film, mainly in the form of the things Ray says and does. Few films make me laugh out loud, but this one did in more than a couple of places. The drama comes mainly in the final third and I found this put a much darker complexion on the comedic scenes that preceded it. I liked the ending; it seemed quite poetic in a way (sorry, no clues). Over all, a very enjoyable film with some laughs, excellent cinematography and some great performancesâ¦.

SteelMonsterâ(TM)s verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

My score: 8.3/10.