In Bruges

Martin McDonagh's (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO) brilliant film In Bruges (2008) finds young wannabe gangster Colin Farrell in a state of medieval hell (figuratively and physically, since the medieval town of Bruges is saturated with Bosch-like images of devils, gargoyles, and tortured souls), as a result of a botched murder of an adult Catholic priest that also kills a 6-year old child. In the opening soliloquy, Ray (Colin Farrell) voices over the panorama, "Get to Bruges - I didn't even know where Bruges was." It's a descent into hell ("I know Bruges is gonna be a s**hole"), and in an ironic twist, it's Christmas time - all the hotels are fully booked, and Ray has to spend two weeks in one room with his mentor and gangster-guide Ken (Brendan Gleeson) (- the way of all learning, young gangster meets old gangster).Ray hates history ("It's all a bunch of stuff that's already happened") but he loves that a film crew is filming a fantasy-scene in Bruges ("Homage is too strong" a description, says Chloe) complete with medieval costumes, gargoyles and a dwarf (Jordan Prentice). Ken, on the other hand, loves the history, and he takes Ray to see the medieval Church of Christ's Blood with real blood brought back by the Crusaders many centuries ago. There's a medieval fresco of the final judgment on earth, with heaven, hell, and purgatory and tortured souls ("The afterlife, God and sins and hell and all that!"), which Ray approves of, saying, "The rest (of the paintings) were spastics, but this is quite good!" Ray also has a fascination for dwarves (“They tend to commit suicide”), which leads both to a tryst with Chloe (the stunning Clemence Poesy), a local drug dealer, and to various encounters with Jimmy, a dwarf who is acting in the film, and who is taking ketamine sold to him by Chloe (curiously, ketamine is a pharmaceutical remedy for depression, which both Jimmy and Ray are suffering from). Sensing Ray's profound depression and in an act of selfless charity, Ken puts Ray on a train out of town and tells him to find another young kid and help him, instead of killing himself.High up on the medieval tower at the center of town is where the key action of the film takes place. Ken's boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes) shows up to have a gun fight with Ray and Ken. It's a gangster shootout in quiet, medieval Bruges. This is Shakespearean tragedy, and many characters die in the final scene. In the last moments of the final scene, Ray voices over his own body being taken away by ambulance, "I guess hell is being in Bruges for eternity."Colin Farrell appears in another black drama where he fights his demons. True Detective, Season Two, finds detective Ray Velcoro (Farrell) in his own personal hell after he kills the man he suspects of raping his wife, then becomes the toy of the gangster Frank Semyon (Vince Vaughn) who gave him the tip, only to discover that he killed the wrong man. The True Detective writers travesty Farrell's performance in In Bruges by having corrupt Vincy City detective Ray Velcoro be totally devoted to his geeky tweeny son, in effect providing the penance Farrell's character in In Bruges sought but was not able to accomplish. But his real penance lies in violence, and there's more than enough in the eight episodes of True Detective, Season Two.It's a romance story, but not obviously so. Ventura County Sheriff's detective Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams) has her own demons to battle, and she's a tough survivor with a martial artist's skill with a blade. Together they (and officer Paul Woodrugh - skillfully played by Taylor Kitsch) solve the deep corruption and violent reprisals that are rampant in the City of Vincy's upper echelons. It's fate, and in one memorable scene Ray and Ani break down all the barriers to their individual hells and connect beyond time and place.These are great actors playing parts written by very sharp writers. Check them out.

I just bought this and am about to order it on blu ray which I could not find at the time priced reasonably. I think that says it all ya poof!

If you enjoy suspense thrillers with odd twists and unique characters I heartily recommend this movie. Colin Farrell is an actor with great screen presence and a gift for comedy as well as drama. Comic scenes not to miss are Farrell's separate confrontations with a couple at dinner, a jealously inept neo-nazi boyfriend of a girl Farrell is romancing, and an American dwarf during a cocaine-fueled party. All are terrifically funny scenes.Farrell plays Ray, the younger of two contract killers. His partner is Ken the more experienced and worldly of the duo (Brendan Gleeson). The mastermind of the killing is Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes). The target of the killing is a Catholic priest (reason unknown) in London. Ray is the trigger-puller and blithely kills the priest as would any good psychopath.However, something related to the killing goes terribly amiss (a spoiler if revealed) and Harry sends Ken and Ray to Bruges in Belgium, ostensibly to hide out for two weeks until things in London cool down. The only problem is that this is Ray's first contract kill and he has a non-psychotic conscience that haunts him over his mistake.Ken, the older man, is taken with the medieval architecture and history of the city. To the younger Ray it is just miserably cold and old. The city itself is a source of much of the humor of the movie. Ray's mistake is a source of pathos.Ken has the look and feel of the old professional babysitting the younger, high-strung Ray who wants out of Bruges and back into the action. Little does Ray know that the rest of the action will revolve around the mistake he made during the killing of the priest.Harry is played by Fiennes in a very similar vein as Ben Kingsley's character in Sexy Beast. He is an over-the-top character with a weird sense of ethics and a pathological logic that is impossible for Ken or Ray to understand but great fun for the viewer to hear. His reason for sending them to Bruges to hide out puts a fine point on his psychotic ramblings.When Harry orders Ken to kill Ray due to Ray's mistake during the murder of the priest the action really takes off and contains the kind of twists, turns and final ending that is truly entertaining, with Harry lethally adhering to his own perverse code of ethics. The tragedy that sends the action to Bruges is sad and pathetic but that is normally the basis of black humor, and this is very good black humor.

In Bruges attaches a cynically hilarious screenplay to its quaint tourist destination. “So, is he having a nice time, seeing all the canals and that? All the canals and the old buildings and that. Have you been down, like, all the old cobbled streets and that? It’s like a fairytale, isn’t it, that place? With the churches and that. They’re gothic.”. Bruges, an idyllic picturesque medieval town nestled in the bosom of Belgium, is home to a variety of neo-gothic structures as ferocious hitman employer Harry lovingly described. Stoic churches. Serene canals. Pizza Hut. “Well, that’s globalisation, isn’t it?”. The last joyous holiday from his childhood, as he sends two Irish hitmen to the tranquil settlement as they await for a situation involving the accidental murder of an innocent child to “cool down” back in England. Ken, an experienced hitman whom often consumes “gay beers”, relishes in the sight-seeing activities of a general tourist. The younger and rebellious Ray, whom is the murderer of said child and consumes “normal beers”, acts like a toddler. Unable to see the beauty of humanity and its history. “Ken, I grew up in Dublin. I love Dublin. If I’d grown up on a farm and was retarded, Bruges might impress me. But I didn’t, so it doesn’t.”. Therefore continuing on with Harry’s conversation, Ken answers, “You know, I’m not sure if it’s really his thing.”. Harry pauses. “What the *insert expletive* is that supposed to mean? It’s a fairytale *and another expletive* town, isn’t it? How can a fairytale town not be somebody’s *oh, there’s another one!* thing?”.And with that, McDonagh’s first feature length film asserts the referential humour that seamlessly combines the bitter bite of Irish tendencies with the structure of a British comedy. In what is one of the greatest, and more importantly funniest, screenplays ever conceived. McDonagh manages to transform the tragicomedy setup and mould it into the vein of darkness that the writer/director is accustomed to. The sharp dialogue crosses nearly every boundary of obscenity. Homophobic slurs. Misogynistic remarks. Racist arguments (coincidentally apt given today’s current sociopolitical climate). Hard drug use. Anti-dwarfism, and suicidal tendencies. Had it been written by any other screenwriter, these overexposed narrative dabbles would be deemed as maliciously spiteful. However, McDonagh implements a robustness to the Irish charm of his characters that enables him to bypass the unfavourable limitations of malevolence and strike the chord of twisted hilarity. Avoiding the situational humour of American comedies and opting for a referential structure that elegantly forces the second half to be utterly whimsical. Initially implementing the line “In my book, though, sorry, someone comes at you with a bottle, that is a deadly weapon, he’s gotta take the consequences.”, fifteen minutes later allowing Ray to punch a woman who attempts to attack him with said “weapon”.Quick-fire setups that ensue barrels of laughs whilst supplying much required character development. And that’s why In Bruges works so well. There’s a deeper connection to the characters than just the comedy. Ray, overridden with guilt, contemplates suicide and attempts to understand the opportunistic approach of forgiveness. Certifying a possibility for repenting sins and not plunging into the depths of hell, as outlined when staring at Bosch’s painting ‘Last Judgement’, which is then splintered throughout the film as visual allusions. A religious undertone is nestled underneath the homophobia and misogyny, granting a condemned soul a chance for absolution. Ray is the manifestation of that idealistic virtuosity, regardless of his fascination with “midgets”. Ken is the individual that dictates his future, an overseeing entity testing the morality of Ray.Two juxtaposing yet identical characters that are portrayed perfectly by their performers. Farrell offers a career-best performance as Ray, hosting the ability to switch from anxiously twitchy and emotionally vulnerable to darkly comedic and general buffoon within a minute. Undeniably showcasing his talents as a character actor. Gleeson has the more difficult job of weighing in on the script’s morality scale, whilst actively employing dry comedy in his line delivery. He nails it quicker than falling off of the Belfry of Bruges! There’s a serious curiosity to his words and performance that both intrigues and captivates. Levelling the general stupidity of Ray’s character. The two exerted tangible chemistry. Then there’s Fiennes as the honourable yet feisty Harry, whom undoubtedly has one of the greatest introductory scenes ever. Smashing an “inanimate *here’s another expletive for you* object!” in a fit of rage. Perfection. McDonagh’s astute direction and on-locale filming, that most certainly heightened Bruges’ tourism, was on the verge of perfection.Unfortunately, several contrived plot conveniences accentuate the sloppy plot that screamed for finesse. The Canadians conveniently finding Ray on the one train that he was on, with drug dealer Chloë conveniently bailing him out instantly. Harry reaching the bottom of the bell tower before an explicitly injured individual fell down. Harry shooting a bullet through an individual and the boatman behind not being affected. A partially blind Eirik, thanks to Ray, working with arms dealer Yuri. Just far too many conveniences that detract from the natural flow of events, and the plot as a whole.Fortunately these contrivances do not diminish the longevity of McDonagh’s acidic screenplay. Much like a Ritchie British gangster flick, the soigné comedy is at the forefront, and for that In Bruges is a remarkable success. Equipped with exceptionally terrific central performances and asinine references, McDonagh proves that referential comedy outweighs the repetitive nature of a situational structure, granting a typical hitman-esque feature a quaint makeover. “Harry, thank you for the trip to Bruges, it’s been very nice, all the old buildings and that, but we’re coming back to London now, and hide out in a proper country, where it isn’t all just *last expletive...* chocolates!”.

I saw this film a while ago but on booking a trip to Bruges I decided to watch again. To be honest I only vaguely remembered its plot but second viewing was more enjoyable than first. I like Colin Farrel and have recently seen him in 'The Lobster' both films are not your usual Hollywood fare. Bruges is a beautiful city but an unlikely destination for two gunmen laying low. However the choice is not theirs but their boss's. The other worldliness of Bruges is enhanced by the presence of a film crew which counterbalances with the horrific reality of the act committed by Farrel's character that has brought the duo here. This is a film that you have to watch and listen to as the dialogue between the various characters is both poignant and humorous.As part of the extras there is a canal trip around the city and details of various site which was actually really useful. I did climb the 366 steps of the belfry which get narrower as you go up as it was actually assembled over centuries. Not quite the same as seen in film but a good view of city, needless to say I walked down.

I had this film on DVD and wanted to get it again on blu-ray for the quality improvements. The disc arrived safe and sound. The film is shot in Bruges, which is in Belgium. I've been there with my wife many times. It a magical place, whatever the time of year that you visit. I digress. The film charts the demise of two hit men on the run from London after a botched killing. The film is well-acted, and is highly entertaining. I can't say more as that would spoil things. The disc in this case is a US import. However, all Universal blu-ray discs and encoded for regions A (US, etc.) and B (UK, Europe, Australia). All in all, recommended.

Prior to seeing this "In Bruges", I would have to admit that I've always felt that the film "Three colours: White" probably represented the apogee of black comedy in cinema. However, this film is an absolute masterpiece where every little component fits together like an intricate jig-saw to produce a wholly satisfying conclusion.From the opening credits, it is clear that the cinematography is going to be exceptional but right from the initial conversation between the protagonists Ken and Ray it is the expletive-laden dialogue that raises this film well above the usual crome / gangster fair. Previously, I've never been a fan of Colin Farrell yet in this film is protrays a character who is a comic creation of genius even if he is weighed down by the pathos attributable to the "accident" that results in the two hitmen's hiding out in Bruges. The encounters with the American tourists, the lovely Clemence Poesy and the racist, coke-snorting dwarf are all high-points in a film that is expertly scripted and beautifully shot. I love the bickering between Ken and Ray as well as their philasophic discussions which have an air of skewed logic about them. The film is staggeringly non-PC and the ubiquitous use of the "f" and "c" words may be off-putting to some viewers but it wholly appropriate to the individuals. It's amusing that even the owner of the hotel (perhaps the film's ony sympathetic character?) ends up having a far better grasp of the foulness of the language that usually seems to escape most foriegners. Even the music seems particularly well chosen with Schubert's mornful "Winterriese" serving as a metaphor for the impending doom for most of the film's main characters. Only the mis-casting of Ralph Fiennes as a gang land boss seems a slight miscalculation. Gleason and Farrell are both fantastic. In conclusion, this is a fabulous work of art and easily one of the very best films of the 2000's.

It is some time since I visited Bruges for the first time. I even had to check the exactly where it was when a friend asked me to go. When I came home my son asked if I had watched the video, "In Bruges." I had not. He said I must. He also warned me about the language. I bought it and watched. Believe me I thought it would be awful, but I found it hilarious. It is a black comedy so be prepared. Because of my initial ignorance regarding Bruges it was even more funny. Do watch if you have been there. As a result of my enthusiasm for the town I revisited again the following year, only this time with my family. Please visit this wonderful place if you get the chance and then watch the DVD.