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• Superb Film. posted on 30 August 2009

  This is a terrific movie, and the best I've seen this year. Anyone reading the boards will be aware of the storyline, but will be unappreciative of the way it develops and its twists and turns. Martin McDonagh has given us a film of multi-layers, which hits the right spot every time. Let's hope there's more great work to come from this highly talented director & playwright. As for the performances, well Colin Farrell's is absolutely top notch. For an actor whose work, so far, has seen highs and lows this is a notable high point. His portrayal of Ray is absolutely first class, and he simply displays a quite amazing range of acting ability in this film. The rest of the leads, especially Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes, provide superlative support. This is a cinematic experience that should not be missed.

• A decent film with some problems posted on 28 August 2009

  I have to agree with most of the main points in the positive reviews of this film: The script is great, Brendan Gleason, Colin Farrell, Ralph Feinnes and the Flemish actors are excellent, and the setting is used well. The Burghers of Bruges can expect a spike in the numbers of large, overweight, English-speaking American tourists, thanks to this film. But the thumbs-down reviewers also make good points: Colin Farrell mugs a lot; the arc of the story is predictable once the boss (Fiennes) places his call to Ken (Gleason); the climax at the tower is hard to believe; The bullet-riddled ending is equally hard to believe, and reminiscent of the ending of The Departed (equally unconvincing). The film is full of quotes and paraphrases from past films: a medieval square in Bruges' Altstaat at night comes straight out of The Third Man; One character deliberately shoots another in the thigh, reminiscent of Brendan Gleason's signature work, The General; The final scene is a paraphrase of the final scene of the Coen brothers' Blood Simple.There's a point that jumped out at me that hasn't been raised yet-there are two or three gags at the expense of Americans in the film. That wouldn't really be objectionable but for the fact that some of the gags are conflated with racism. I can't object to jokes at our expense ( I am an American), since there's a germ of truth in every one of them. The racism, however, is gratuitous. We don't need this movie to tell us it's a problem. Speaking-again, as an American, racism-in-America cropped up enough times in this film to draw my attention away from the story itself. After the first two or three mentions, I was sitting there waiting for the next anti-American racist gag.So, on the whole I scored the film 9 for production values, and 4 for..what?, Rudeness? Resulting in a 7 star rating.

• They didn't know how to end it posted on 28 August 2009

  In Bruges successfully blends comedy, drama and some action with very powerful performances by Colin Farrel, Ralph Fiennes and, most of all, Brendan Gleeson. Most interestingly, In Bruges appears common and accessible at times, but when everything seems predictable, we are thrown a curve-ball that gives the movie a certain edge and an ever present blanket of dark comedy that permeates all characters, most especially Ray, played by Colin F. Bruges, a medieval city in Belgium, is presented to us as a blend of old and new. Its locals and its buildings set the background, while the characters upfront stand out like sore thumbs within a "fairy tale" place as it is often described. Hidden within the comedy is a very dramatic script that deals with feelings of regret, suicide, murder and love but that never seems burdensome or hard to watch. Especially important to the development of the story is the character of Brendan Gleeson who has come to Bruges not knowing it will be a crucial moment in his life, a setting that will allow him to reevaluate his values and make decisions that go against all that he has done in the past. Ken seeks for redemption, even when he knows he is already condemned and we see the interesting transformation on the screen. Despite its crafty mix of comedy and drama, In Bruges falls short as it delivers an ending that over-relies in unnecessary action and unsubstantial dialogue. It is the typical case of a story that needs to end but does not know how. There is no better example of this that the final scene and the predictable cyclical ending we are given.

• Pleasantly surprising! posted on 26 August 2009

  There is a pleasant surprise to entering a movie theater with zero expectations, having not seen the trailer or read any reviews.A dark dramatic comedy, I enjoyed the camaraderie between Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes, each actor playing off the other. Clémence Poésy, someone I'd never heard of, put in a surprising performance playing Farrell's love interest.Kudos to the filmmakers for shooting in Bruges, which is the silent co-star here. With its centuries-old architecture, historical significance, and homey atmosphere, I'd like to visit this city the next time I make my way to Europe.

• Enjoyable and funny but never loosing focus in both its narrative and study, In Bruges hits most marks rather impressively. posted on 26 August 2009

  What a neat, compact and thoroughly entertaining little package In Bruges actually is - a film that never takes itself too seriously, but will have you feeling some sort of slap of emotion if you've gone with it by the time the finale has arrived. The film is an extremely black comic piece, relying on jokes and humour that targets specific ethnicities and 'types' of people but at the same time includes the necessary substance through slyly introducing events and flashbacks, confirming why certain characters carry certain hate ridden and confused opinions on their surroundings. The film is encouraging in another sense; a British director running on British fuelled money directing a debut piece he also wrote and quite clearly using other British co-writers/directors from recent times as a source of inspiration.The sources for this inspiration range from Guy Ritichie to Simon Pegg with an essence of Jonathan Glazer's 2000 gangster outing Sexy Beast thrown in for good measure and it all pulls through rather nicely. Interestingly, fellow writer/director Martin McDonagh pays tribute, not necessarily directly to these people but certainly acknowledges he's updating and referencing, very early on when one of the lead characters stumbles across a film set. Here, he meets a young Belgian female production assistant and she exclaims that 'what we're doing here is an homage; a pastiche is too strong-a word for the project'. The lead's confused reaction might well be the same for some audience members but the girl has nailed it and McDonagh has nailed it in his own screenplay.It is a homage; maybe pastiche IS too strong-a word but it is poignant this exchange happens on a film set. McDonagh has cleverly brandished his two leads Irish, making it particularly difficult to label them British gangsters of sorts but you know exactly where he's coming from. In Bruges sees two Irish hit men hiding out in the Belgian city of Bruges following a botched job. Their orders are to wait for a phone call from English mafia boss Harry (Fiennes) as he assesses the situation but Harry has a dilemma and when he does call, his intentions are far more menacing. But that would be spoiling the fun. The two leads are Ken (Gleeson) and Ray (Farrell) and their initial time spent there has the film crack its best jokes that are particularly un-PC but also sees the script establish several complex emotional pieces of substance to back up the content. It appears Ray is having a bit of a break down and thus resorts to verbal insults and discrimination as well as adopting a relatively childlike persona, best highlighted at his glee at the sight of dwarfs, beer and his bemoaning at the sights of historical buildings.Since we do not get to know Ray prior to his 'tragedy', we cannot compare mentalities before/after. Ken seems to have known Ray for a certain amount of time and acts as a foil to Ray once all the bickering in Bruges begins. The important thing here is that Ken actually replies to Ray's bickering so all the complaining and un-PC comments Ray says in Belgium probably does not reflect the kind of person he really is. If he'd been like this even 'before' the event, perhaps Ken would've got sick of always snapping back and might've let Ray just get on with it. If Ray is an assassin, we expect a certain degree of professionalism from him but what we get is a spoilt child performance conflicting archetypes. He is, indeed, referred to as 'the boy' by characters later on.Ray's badgering sees him insult the Belgians, fat people, autistic people and dwarfs but this sort of neurotic behaviour is confirmed when it becomes apparent Ray's suffering an identity crisis and is branching off into a mindset of guilt and suicidal ideation, hence his too sharp-a tongue and insults. For a long time, we share Ken's viewpoint. We are disgusted at Ray's dialogue and we get to hear first hand of the revelation Harry calls up with. But the perspective begins to shift quite brilliantly when things become apparent and emotion comes to the forefront.Ralph Fiennes' Harry Waters is introduced brilliantly. He carries a Don Logan persona about him and the same air of menace with the constant badgering and talk of things seemingly innocent and random, only off screen down a telephone. Our first actual look at him in his England home whilst on the phone is a really tasty piece of editing. McDonagh's fast, wise talking gangsters are indebted to Guy Ritchie and his branching off into a fast paced action film that actually has its characters acknowledge the finale is nearing and that "this is the shootout" nearer the end is more a link to Hot Fuzz than anything else. Again, the film set location within the film pops up at the end and it's no coincidence this is where the fatal blows are played out.While nobody weeps for the priest Ray killed on the job in the flashback and the fact Harry has young kids of his own which is quite alarming, the film is brutally entertaining and shot in cold, bleak and distant colours commending the psychological feelings Ray goes through. The film begins in a jovial and juvenile manner but we're hit with a brick that knocks both us and the film into focus rather than off course, which is very refreshing for a change. Fast; witty and quite humbling at times, In Bruges is a winner.

• Skip It posted on 24 August 2009

  I have never rated any films on this site but I really hated this movie. I thought I should warn other people that this movie is really bad. It was really slow going, and there was nothing to keep you interested for the second half. They tried for humor and came up extremely short. I thought the casting of the characters was way off, they didn't mesh well together for the story. I usually don't mind Colin Farrell, however these days he has not done anything noteworthy at all, this included. I thought this was a complete waste of time and money. I wish I had of opted for something different. Do yourself a HUGE favor and skip this movie.

• One of my rare 10s posted on 24 August 2009

  The films that I find myself thinking about afterwards are of two kinds - the best and the worst. In the case of the worst I am trying to work out just why they are so bad, in the case of the best, like In Bruges, the rare 10s, they make such an impact that I cannot get them out of my head. It was only later that I realised that Martin McDonagh has, apparently, lifted his basic situation - two hit men whiling away the time waiting for instructions as to their next victim - from Harold Pinter's early one-act stage play The Dumb Waiter. However The Dumb Waiter ends when the message (the same one as in In Bruges) arrives. McDonagh then extends the scenario in quite unexpected directions, the foundations of which have been meticulously laid, sometimes by a mere throwaway line or gesture, earlier in the film. The film is full of memorable moments - dialogue, incident or characterisation - that interweave to form an indelible impression.Some of the comments posted seem to take exception to the fact that In Bruges is difficult to categorise - that terrible compulsion of the film industry to fit every film into a "genre". This is a film that is genuinely uncategorisable. It is often very funny, sometimes poignant and touching, sometimes darkly frightening, always thought-provoking. To categorise it as, say, a "comedy-thriller" would be to seriously sell its qualities short.There is one very good reason for the film's special elusive quality - it is very Irish. Although strictly speaking it would not count as an Irish production and Martin McDonagh was born in London, all his stage writing stems from a strong Irish sensibility and it is no accident that the two leading characters are played by Irish actors (albeit actors familiar to an American audience playing Americans!). The ability to see pathos behind humour, as well as the funny side of tragedy, is a peculiarly Irish trait.The brilliance of the script is matched by superb performances from the two leads as well as all the supporting cast, however small the part. The only weak link (and it is a very minor criticism) is Ralph Fiennes as the boss figure who, as one other posting commented, was more convincing on the phone than in person, perhaps, as many have pointed out, because of unfavourable comparison with Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast. Brendan Gleeson is, as always, impeccable, Colin Farrell gives his best performance since Intermission, both are subtle and totally believable. The supporting characters are so effective partly because they are very well cast, partly because they have been written with such attention to detail. Almost my favourite moment is when the hotel owner hands over a phone message from the boss, carefully typed out including all the obscenities, with a personal hand-written correction at the bottom - "I am not the receptionist...".I am hoping that by writing the above I will be able to stop myself thinking about In Bruges, but somehow I doubt it!

• The only thing worse than being stuck in Bruges is watching "In Bruges"! posted on 22 August 2009

  In Bruges is one of those comedies that thinks it is far more witty and clever than it actually is. It's a shame, because it has an interesting premise with a lot of potential, but ultimately that potential amounts to nothing more than cussing and midget jokes.The film follows two hit men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) who are ordered by their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), to hide away in the remote Belgian town of Bruges after a botched hit in London. They are supposed to stay until Harry gives them a call saying it's OK to leave. Ken seizes the opportunity to explore and sightsee while Ray, who takes an instant disliking to Bruges, prefers to spend his time at the pub. While there, the duo have many strange encounters in Bruges, including ones with a midget actor, a skinhead robber, Dutch prostitutes, and involving loads of drugs, all which lead up to a matter of life-or-death situation involving Ray, Ken and Harry.In Bruges is a strange combination of a drama and a comedy, and it really fails in both genres. The movie is primarily a comedic one. Although there are a few jokes that were mildly funny, most of them fall flat. The problem is that In Bruges presents itself as "sophisticated" and tries to come off as clever, character-based comedy, yet half the jokes are incredibly low brow. For instance, there are repetitive jokes involving a midget. Even if the joke had been remotely funny in the first place (which it wasn't), it's repeated far too many times before the movie ends. Most of the jokes are mean-spirited and un-politically correct. Don't get me wrong, I normally wouldn't have a problem with that. However, here there is nothing funny. Ray ridicules overweight people, he karate chops the midget, he knocks out a couple in a restaurant, swears like a sailor and (once again with the midget) engages in a discussion about whether or not there will be a race war in the future. None of this is funny. It's cruel-spirited for the sake of it. The director must know that simply being mean-spirited isn't funny. There's nothing clever or witty about it. It's the same humor we've seen done before, in countless idiotic, low brow comedies, presented as a Sundance-approved, highbrow comedy.As well, it would've helped if the lead role was played by someone other than Colin Farrell. I like Farrell; he's a good actor. He is not a comedic actor though. He's just not funny. It's as simple as that. His performance here is good, but he's not funny enough for a movie like this. His character gets most of the better lines in the film and they are all wasted. Ralph Fiennes fairs much better comically, yet is relegated to the last 30 minutes of the film.The rest of the movie is a mess, as it strives to be a thought-provoking drama, as well as an action film towards the end. There are long periods of the movie devoid of jokes, which would be fine if anything were happening. Unfortunately, for the first hour of the film, nothing much happens. Ray and Ken stumble around Bruges doing random things. It's boring and dull. There are a few emotional moments here and there, and although they are well done, they don't fit in with the rest of the movie, which is often crude and crass. The last 20 minutes has some good action, violence and shoot-outs, but which once again, really has no place in this film. The ending switches gears from this and attempts to be profound. It feels out of place. "Hot Fuzz", which came out almost a year ago and had a similar premise, stuck primarily to the comedy genre and succeeded. In Bruges tries to blend together comedy and drama, trying to be profound, rude, funny and thrilling. It's too much and the film would've worked better if it had focused more on one of these areas.All in all, I can't say I recommend In Bruges. It's a jumbled mess of a film that thinks much too highly of itself. The only thing worse than being stuck in Bruges would be having to watch this film again.

• In Bruges posted on 22 August 2009

  It was six months back when I went to Bruge and it fascinated me by its beauty – lovely place. On BBC, when I saw the discussion of this new movie – In Bruges, I found it interesting. I saw the trailers, and that too appealed me – as is based on an interesting premise. Two hit men – elderly Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and young Ray (Collin Farrell) – are ordered to hide in Bruges by their Boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes), because Ray along with a priest, by mistake killed a young boy – and other gangs are behind them to seek revenge. The only way the thing can be resolved is to kill Ray. Harry asks Ken to kill Ray, who is suicidally depressed. Ken wants to give Ray another chance. Harry gets angry and comes to Bruges. The final show-down results in lots of gun-shots, blood and death of most of the protagonist.This is a dark comedy thriller movie. Writer-Director Martin McDonagh, who had won an Oscar for a short film – Six Shooter in 2004, comes back with this wonderful movie. He has this uncanny style of narrative- where he infuses dark comedy and racism slurs – with penache. And the style is felt in every frame of this movie. Even in the darkest and grimmest scene – Martin manages to keep audience gay – with the dialogue and style. The writing / story / screenplay are the kings, and Martin takes out brilliant performances from his perfecting casting.Brendan as Key, masterly enacts this role of loyal hit-man and a compassionate friend. Collin Farrel is just outstanding in his role of this innocent, eccentric, dry humored & silly guy – who is also a cold blooded murderer, with a conscious. Ralph Fiennes – since Shakespeare in Love, has grown in stature and maturity in his characterization of roles.The musical score is Carter Burwell and cinematography of Bruges by Eigil Bryld are excellent.There are also other characters in the film, who are real to the groove and have given top class performances.Though comparable with Tarantino dark humor and style, I think Martin has his own genre of telling the story. I hope he continues giving us such lovely and enjoyable gems.Those audience, who do not like talkative movies or movies that show blood in cold shots – stay away from it. Others, go and enjoy this wonderful flick.Just a trivia, I went to see this movie with my work colleague Claudia Misch, and met other two colleagues - Lena and Guido. All four sat together and enjoyed seeing this movie.(Stars 7.25 out of 10)

• they're filming midgets! posted on 20 August 2009

  Should one who killed a child be allowed to live? Harry Waters, a London thug, sends Irish hit men Ken and Ray to Bruges to lie low after a job goes awry in a London church.Ken's the old hand, fascinated by the Medieval, with a fatherly attitude toward Ray, who's young and bored but chastened after the London job.Ray's disposition changes when he meets Chloë, a hip young woman who sells drugs on the local set of a movie featuring Jimmy, an American dwarf.Harry calls with irrevocable instructions. Ken balks, setting up a showdown in the town square.A pregnant innkeeper, dumdum bullets, and a code of conduct play into the resolution.From what i was expecting from the ads and the press releases, was an offbeat amusing movie in the same way as films in the 'British Gangster' genre.what i got was amusing at times, but all in all a movie with a very dark, melancholy edge to it.Farrell plays the tortured soul, not so tongue in cheek as one would thought but a very sympathetic character, who ironically, begins to grate toward the end.Gleeson does well in his role, but he gets a little repetitive after he reassures Farrell for the tenth time.And then there is Feinnes, who does his best impression of Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast in his limited role. he's not scary or intimidating and this is down to Kingsleys performance in my honest opinion.but the cinematography is marvellous and some of the editing is dreamy, but it just makes you feel a little empty inside after.worth watching, but very disappointing, given that the film has such a high score on here.

• Holy shi* this is good!! posted on 20 August 2009

  Sorry the language but this is by far the best hit-man movie I have ever seen. It has the best dialogs I've seen in years and Collin Farrel... bravo. You've just gotten in my book as an ACTOR. Fresh jokes, hilarious. And it also has serious parts. The music is well orchestrated, and fits the movie well. You really get a feeling how Bruge is as a small town with personality. But the thing that makes this movie is the characters. The 2 main hit men and the way they interact with each other is so believable, although very strange. You should definitely see this at the cinema!A must see!

• Whimsical and touching posted on 18 August 2009

  In many ways, In Bruges is something of a little gem. It is marketed as a 'dark comedy' and it is, indeed very funny if you like dry wit and irony and enjoy seeing the world through the eyes of two Dublin men who have rather inexplicably been ordered to leave London and lie low in an obscure Flemish town. That these two men happen to be killers is initially neither here nor there. They could — or, at least, Brendan Gleeson, as the older and more mature hit-man could — be just like any two tourists you might meet seeing the sights of a beautiful medieval town. Colin Farrell, the second, younger hit-man, is not at all enamoured of Bruges and sightseeing, and his lack of sophistication is typified when he memorably describes history as just a load of stuff that has happened. Where in Bruges is not something of a little gem is when it is reluctantly forced to abandon the Irish whimsy — one of the central conceits of a hit-man taking time off to relax and enjoy a spot of culture is nothing if not whimsical — and begins to plod down the more familiar paths of film-making convention. Thus the various whimsical strands of the story all come together in a rather neat finale, which is, unfortunately too neat to be satisfying. The writer/director Michael McDonagh can't be blamed for that, and as this is only his second feature — and his first full-length feature — his handling of the techniques of film-making is outstanding. So far he has written plays for the stage, and in many ways In Bruges is still a play which has been transferred to the big screen, and that is not meant in a derogatory way. The dialogue is naturalistic and, at times, exquisite. But in a sense In Bruges is still a play in that McDonagh wants to deal with rather big themes: conscience, guilt, a sense of honour, loyalty and revenge, and what might have worked well on stage finally doesn't work quite as well on the screen. Although oddly both the Gleeson and Farrell characters are rather likable despite the fact that they have killed without mercy for money, by the end of the film they don't quite ring as true as they did when we first meet them. Similarly, despite Ralph Fiennes's character being established as a sadistic crime boss without heart or feeling, his final honourable act is also wholly unconvincing. So where does that leave us? Well, because in so many way In Bruges is the excellent side of good, the reservations I make are rather ungenerous. My point is that because so much of the film is very good, it sets itself such high standards that when, in just a few respects, it doesn't quite meet those standards, this apparent 'failure' stands out all the more. Let me be clear: In Bruges is streets ahead of many other films which masquerade as 'comedy' or 'thriller' or 'drama'. In hindsight there are one or two niggles such as the implausibility of the Farrell character being discovered and arrested on a train leaving Bruges, the way that various characters conveniently bump into each other, and, it has to be said, the implausibility of some of the characters' motivation. But at the end of the day these are minor points. In Bruges stands alone and has an identity all of its own. I do, however, suspect that whether or not you enjoy In Bruges will largely depend on what kind of films you otherwise enjoy. Yes, there is a chase at the end, and, yes, it all ends in bloody, murderous violence, but these elements to not define the film, if you are the kind of moron who values so much of the dishonest, quick-cut, super-slick, in-yer-face mush which keeps the cinema cash tills ringing, you would undoubtedly feel your attention and interest flag long before the guns are fired. If, on the other hand, you have the wit and taste to watch a story unfold (however implausible that story might finally be) and enjoy the kind of Irish dry humour which is not in-yer-face, your will enjoy In Bruges very much.

• Shocked at the positive reviews; trite and predictable posted on 18 August 2009

  OMG I am dumbfounded by all the glowing reviews. I think that I have to fault the script the most. Trite, formulaic, every "ironic" interaction was telegraphed to the viewer minutes ahead of time. When Colin Farrell's tough guy character is in the restaurant and has an interaction with an obnoxious weenie American, I've seen this exact scene so many times before... It was an agonizing 5 minutes as you sat through the predictable screen writing 101 set up moves culminating in the oh so ironic "punch" line. Painful. Colin Farrell's acting was way too forced and over-the-top for me, he seemed like he had to try way to hard, I found it distracting. Admittedly, the script and the directing are largely responsible here. Maybe I've seen too many movies, but this was just plain bad.

• I know I'm awake,but i feel like i am in a dream.... posted on 16 August 2009

  Being this the first feature film of recognized play maker Martin McDonagh i did not really knew what to expect. To be honest i only knew that Colin Farrel was in this and that Martin McDonagh's short Six shooter won an academy award(If you watched and enjoyed In Bruges i recommend this short). I was not much of a fan of Farrel, and i have to admit this movie changed my whole perception of him,i can see him now like a true actor.The movie itself it's packed with a lot of dark humor,also with action and drama. Some scenes can be very touching and other ones can be pretty funny too.Wonderfully shot in the outdoors of Bruges (In Belgium) and with flawless script and direction. The cast is perfectly chosen. Being Farrel and Gleeson two irish hit mens working in London, and after a job went bad and told to hide in Bruges. Poésy playing a local custom and builds a relationship with Farrel's character. And finally Ralph Fiennes plays the ultimate mastermind of this London criminal group.This movie is truly one of 2008's cinema gems and i highly recommend it for anyone looking for a very well made film.

• This Decade Will Remember This One! posted on 16 August 2009

  Martin McDonagh, no matter what he's made in the past, the Oscar-Winner this time he has made a Film that easily goes down in history as one of the finest films of all-time.Don't pretend, if you've seen 'In Bruges', you know it's nothing short of Fantastic. McDonagh's writing and direction are THE pluses of the film. The screenplay is astounding; the execution is high-class. 'In Bruges' makes you smile, makes you sad, it's a joyride you can't afford to miss.If the writing and direction get all the hoopla, here's a special mention to: Cinematographer Eigil Bryld for doing his work par-excellence. The editing by Jon Gregory is nothing short of perfection.Talking of performances: Colin Farrell has delivered bravura performances in many of his previous works, but his work in'In Bruges' makes him go down as one of the finest actors of all-time. The regret, the pain of killing an innocent kid, you fell the pain he's going through. Calling his performance as fantastic would've been an understatement. Bombastic, ya, maybe, but a performance like this is above the words and higher than any praise. Ralph Fiennes is, as always, commendable. Brenden Gleeson is outstanding; especially in the climax. Clémence Poésy does a good job.Now get this straight: 'In Bruges' is above-the-normal-stuff, way above. This film is gory at places agreed, but in totality, A treat for the viewer! The film will gain a cult following in the coming years, and will be remembered as one of the finest films ever made! Two Big Thumbs Up!

• Nothing Else Like It... posted on 14 August 2009

  Just when I was seriously lamenting the lack of any originality in film-making in the past few months, along comes IN BRUGES to prove me dead wrong, and I'm glad for it! Wonderfully impossible to classify, it ranks right up there with the best of the Coen Brothers' blackly funny crime romps like FARGO, BLOOD SIMPLE and THE BIG LEBOWSKI, yet swirls in the best parts of Guy Ritchie's "geezer" films as well, with just a dash of existential angst for flavor. Mature, sanguine Ray (HARRY POTTER'S Brendan Gleeson) and his hot-headed yet soft-hearted protégé Ken (a fantastic Colin Farrell) have been ordered by their boss to spend a few days cooling their heels in the picturesque, Medieval city of Bruges in Belgium, after an "assignment" they were taking care of backfires in a completely horrific way. Oh, did I happen to mention that the two buddies are hit men, and that it's Ken's actions that fouled up their latest "job"?The two men's polar opposite reactions to this quaint European city tell so much about the characters, and both actors take every opportunity they've been given and run with it. Gleeson, who's done everything from horror (28 DAYS LATER), to comedy (THE SNAPPER) to a combination of both (LAKE PLACID) shines here as the seasoned vet, and Farrell, who's had a real tough time picking projects that make the most of his considerable talent, has never been better. Against this postcard-ready backdrop, like a rumpled, modern-day answer to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Ray and Ken ponder the ironic finality of death, the perplexing puzzle of life and what their part in it really is, and how anyone could (or could not) spend their lives living in "f***ing Bruges". While they wait to hear from Harry, their boss (the excellent Ralph Fiennes, who doesn't show up until halfway in, but blows us away when he does), they while away the time sight-seeing and sampling the local beer. A movie shoot taking place in the town square figures prominently, as the movie pokes fun at itself with wry and refreshing self-awareness. A beautiful local girl named Chloe (Clemence Poesy) and a dwarf named Jimmy (Jordan Prentice), both connected in their own way to the movie-within-the-movie, figure prominently in the events that occur later that affect both men in a way that both shatters and surprises.Irish playwright Martin McDonagh wears both writer and director hats here for the first time, and both fit him like a glove. The dialogue is very realistic, with just enough whimsy to delight the audience and define the characters without being too clever or precious about it. And the dark, bitter ending offsets the movie's earlier sweetness just right...sort of like really good Belgian chocolate, like the kind I'm sure you can get...IN BRUGES. Kudos to everyone involved for producing a marvelous piece that feels independent but not contrived.

• Redemption and Regret posted on 08 December 2009

  The trailer for this film would suggest fair like 2007's Shoot 'Em blood bath with a bit dark sense of humor. Instead, this film is totally different. No fast killing starts off this film, but a bit of profanity and a strangely tortured main character named Ray, who is supposedly a hit man. Things do not become crystal clear until about midway and then things take off crescendos to a slam-bang finish full of blood, but that is not what makes the film. What makes the film is its bitingly sharp sense of black humor where characters are mean to those around them trying to get away from their own problems. I never thought I would come away impressed by a Colin Farrell film, but this film made me immensely mirthful and laugh hard than I have for a while over this winter season of films. It is sad, but has a nice message packaged inside, which takes its time to get to the surface.

• "Psychopaths love their children, too". Sure they do... posted on 08 December 2009

  It's extremely difficult to combine comedy and drama with any degree of success, and this would be IB's main drawback, even though the balance isn't bad as far as comedy-dramas go. We're supposed to get emotionally involved in various deaths here, and yet there are overly goofy scenes, too: the silliest being the one with the brave and stubborn pregnant hotel owner forcing Fiennes and Farrell to arrange how they'll organize the shoot-out; the resulting dialogue between the two belongs in an Eddie Murphy spoof, not this.Another problem is the director's somewhat unrealistic depiction of gangsters - and not just any ordinary criminals but cold-blooded killers. In an all-out comedy this would be forgiven, but when Gleeson shows genuine and deep interest in Belgian history, art, and architecture I have to wonder if McDonagh ever met any criminals, let alone spent some time with them. At least Farrell is portrayed as a typical gangster moron. I've also had trouble believing all these high morals and principles which apparently guide the lives of hardened gangsters. Gleeson, as far as we can tell, doesn't even know Farrell that well, and yet this hired hit-man risks life and limb to protect a SUICIDAL Farrell. There is absolutely no realism in this at all. (Apparently, it isn't just Hollywood films that glorify sociopaths.) Gleeson even becomes a martyr of sorts, which is simply daft. (Entertaining, but daft.) Fiennes even commits suicide as if he were some fanatical, ultra-disciplined 15th-century Japanese warrior. Again, this is not a full-fledged comedy, so I can't really buy into much of this...IB has many surprise twists. Its strongest point, apart from the acting of the lead male trio, is the unpredictability. Admittedly, plenty of the plot is guided by Guy-Ritchie-Esquire coincidences such as the main characters CONSTANTLY bumping into each other by accident, but because this is a semi-comedy this can be overlooked. The big finale would have been impossible without these chance encounters.A bit disturbing was McDonagh's non-latent anti-Americanism. Are the British still peeved off about losing that war over 200 years ago? Are they using the current wave of anti-U.S. sentiment to channel these age-old frustrations? McDonagh might be able to answer that. The midget character says at one point that he foresees a war between the whites and the blacks (as if he were listening to a Carnivore album), but I do have to wonder if we might not end up with a Unites States vs. Europe (& friends) war at some point. The way this pathetic, hysterical, and mostly envy-based anti-American propaganda is going at the moment - being very much pushed further and further into the extreme by the Leftist European media and movies such as this - there's a chance we might actually have that conflict a couple of decades from now. I guess we all know who'd come out the winner in that one...I had to vomit when Farrell described Clemense Poesy as "beautiful" upon seeing her the first time. "Are they trying to sell us yet another mediocre-looking nepotistic female offspring as a ravishing hottie?" I immediately thought. I checked her background, and yep, sure enough: her Daddy was a theater director. That's the sort of "small thing" that opens doors, I reckon... (E-mail me if you want to see my rather large Hollywood Nepotism file.) Bruges offers some very nice scenery, IB has a fairly interesting story, and an effective soundtrack. The Continental cast wasn't that good.

• Two hit men hide out in Bruges and come to learn a very hard truth posted on 08 August 2009

  This is a brilliant film, the story and scenery are great, but it has been pirated on a camcorder which the user DID NOT seem to know how to focus. If you want this to copy to disc, i suggest you do NOT use this copy. I would recommend waiting for this film to be released on DVD.There are a couple of glaring errors I noticed on this film, mainly the bell tower has a cage around the bells to prevent visitors from falling down the shaft or from touching the bells themselves. The bells in that tower are irreplaceable antiques. Also, the steps to the tower are too narrow to allow well-padded people, like one of the lead actors, to be able to climb them easily. Also, at the end, another character runs down them, which is dangerous and foolhardy, as you cannot place your entire foot on the steps without half your foot hanging over.

• Hmm... posted on 29 July 2009

  ...a few of months back, when my uncle returned home from one of his many business trips, a DVD copy of 'In Bruges' returned with him. Being a fool, i ended up judging the film by it's cover and deciding not to dedicate precious time to viewing it. A combination of incidents including the Christmas holidays and having nothing better to do, resulted in me giving the "shithole" of Bruges a try.What i found is quite hard to describe. Comedy? perhaps, i hope i'm not too rude to say that this film was too good to be categorized as a comedy. Drama? that might be it, but then again...no. Anyways, the film takes place in Bruges. "Where the **** is Bruges? It's in Belgium." Two hit-man are sent there after completing a mission, and are being asked to wait for further instructions.Beautiful, Beautiful cinematography of Christmas time in a small town known mostly for it's well preserved medieval and Gothic character. A most captivating Original Soundtrack composed by Carter Burwell. Brilliant script writing, including a great, great dialogue as well as a impressive direction debut, both by Martin McDonagh. Adding to that a cast led by Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes along with magnificent smaller roles by more unpopular faces portraying a dwarf, a female lover, a Russian gun supplier, an historical tower manager and a local policeman. And there you have your Must-See!I'll end by referring to what turned this film from just being good to being great, to me at least, and this is the ending. In my eyes, the ending is a homage, or perhaps a pastiche to a painting of Hell and Judgment Day we are acquainted with in a museum along the film. This ending, these images, they will stay with you well after the credits are gone. It takes a little something for a film to make me watch it twice. 'In Bruges' has this little something...enjoy!