Review of In Bruges (2008) by Stevenf — 10 Jul 2013

In Bruges tackles all the issues that a typical comedy offers, an out if the comfort zone setting, an unlikely alliance, romance and of course thrills, but it also offers much more with a clever script very dark humour and an unpredictable story that keeps on giving.

The Irish duo of powerhouse talents Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson star as two bungling hitmen, Ray and Ken, are sent to Bruges to lay low for a while after a job goes wrong, Ken loves the chance to do all the tourist things, Ray is a more live wire character than his older counterpart, wanting to get right back into jobs. On the phone line is Harry (Ralph Fiennes) who is updating the two on the situation, as he is their employer he keeps them informed for when they can return to England.

The film takes a twisted yet hilarious look at what is right in front of you in an unorthodox way, the humour, when you think it is finished, keeps on rolling out the obscene remarks and jokes. The highlights of the film come from the realistic and situational approach. It offers very different insights into certain film scenarios,such as shoot outs and the typical bad guy. The film turns most of these on their head and offers this perhaps generational approach, like how grown up films should perhaps become.

Brendan Gleeson is quite the calm and relaxed gentle giant of the show, is demeanour counteracts the energetic one of Farrell, whose character continuously spits out his distaste for being in Bruges and how he finds and sees everyrhing in a homosexual manner, the politest way to say it.

In terms of the tone, it never settles for second best, when it wants to tell a very funny joke are put across a hilarious situation, it does so without holding and punches, but when it wants to put a message of despair and emotion, it again delivers the goods without fail, showing the capabilities that Martin McDonagh possesses in story-telling but also reaching out to the audience. Many moment this film will indeed make you laugh in hysterics, but the quieter and closer moments will bring back down to reality.

An excellent and varied film with a taste for all sorts of genres, giving different nods to previous films and also promoting a witty script and some powerful performances.