The Official Studio Line:

“Shoot First. Sightsee Later.

Colin Farrell and Academy Award-nominee Ralph Fiennes star in this edgy, action-packed comedy, filled with thrilling chases, spectacular shoot outs and an explosive ending you won’t want to miss!

Hit men Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson, Harry Potter) have been ordered to cool their heels in the storybook city of Bruges (it’s in Belgium) after finishing a big job. But since hit men make the worst tourists, they soon find themselves in a life-and-death struggle of comic proportions against one very angry crime boss (Fiennes)!

Get ready for the outrageous and unpredictable fun you will have In Bruges, the movie critics are calling, ‘wildly entertaining’ – Stephen Rebello, Playboy.”

This was actually going to be a part of my Quickie Review Round-Up I periodically do now, but I decided I just had too much to say about IN BRUGES that it would be nigh-impossible for me to encapsulate all of that in one big paragraph. I’m sure you all remember one of my chief complaints about WANTED is that it wallows in its sequences of bloody violence like a Tinseltown pig, making no attempt to explore or humanize the nature of it. We’re left feeling completely disconnected from these actions, approached with a nonchalance that is both boring and inconducive. IN BRUGES is the complete antithesis of WANTED, and I find the coincidence of seeing it only a few days after putting myself through that wretched mess too amusing to ignore. Hence this ridiculously extended review. Writer/Director Martin McDonagh never pulls any punches when depicting the violence in this film, but there’s also a purpose and, most importantly, there are always consequences to those actions. Whether it’s the death of innocence (figuratively and literally) or overwhelming guilt, McDonagh doesn’t shy away from showing the reality of just how human seemingly inhumane acts of violence really are. Brutally and unapologetically honest. I know this all sounds like really heady stuff, but don’t let my over-analytical view fool you. IN BRUGES may carry a sharp undertone of social commentary and wonderfully original take on the underworld, but its also a seriously funny flick.

The humor ranges from sophomorically vulgar and ingeniously witty to uproariously racist and mischievously violent, but always ruthlessly dark. My favorite brand of hilarity, mind you. Kids getting their heads blown off and dudes falling to their grotesquely vivid deaths may not, however, bring the house down as they say. Did I mention the flick gets exceptionally dark and brutally violent at times? I did? Ok, just making sure. Truth is, when “Drama” is done as well as it is in this flick and the reality of said drama (which includes subjects as varied as suicide, murder, racism, the after-life, and guilt) is so accurately realized, the humor that seeps into these heart-wrenching moments feel very true and elicit boisterous laughter. At least from yours truly they did. Some of this stuff might understandably scare off and offend other folks. Kurt Vonnegut once said “Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterwards.” I’m with him on that, and the filmmakers behind IN BRUGES also seem to agree with that sentiment. This could’ve been a sob story of epic proportions, filled with copious amounts of self-pity/loathing. There are moments where the film veers dangerously close to such depths, but luckily a bit of opportune yuk-yuks always comes in and rescues us from such a fate. Strangely enough, there’s a sense of hope that does run throughout the film. Whether it’s the pregnant owner of a quaint local hotel, or the fairytale-like setting Bruges embodies, its there and never feels forced.

And thank goodness Colin Farrell showed up for this flick. Sometimes an actor that you remembered being amazing in something like TIGERLAND loses himself in the big Movie Star making machine that is Hollywood, and he starts churning out garbage like—Oh, I don’t know—like S.W.A.T., DAREDEVIL, and ALEXANDER, and you forget that the guy could once act. Then he comes back with something that reminds you why you were so impressed with them in the first place. IN BRUGES does that for Farrell. His character starts off hating Bruges with a passion, dealing with an unimaginable sort of guilt over a ghastly act. Certainly a lead character that refuses to adhere to our conventional notions of what a cinematic protagonist should be. He’s crass and violent, but also possesses a child-like spirit and naiveté that is enduring. He doesn’t play an overly sympathetic or likable character, instead he offers viewers a very real guy with serious issues. A killer with a flawed conscience, and we actually find ourselves feeling sorry for him. Brendan Gleeson’s character is undoubtedly the most likable in the lot, playing a warm-hearted hitman. Gleeson’s performance reminds us that even nice people can do horrible things. And Ralph Fiennes is riotously funny as a short-tempered gangster with an especially unpleasant disposition, but still managing to achieve a level of decency rarely afforded to heavies in a Crime flick. He even gets the chance to toss in a few bits of self-referential humor that breaks that pesky fourth wall. In fact the entire movie has a tinge of meta-theatricality about it, an intriguing and amusing element indeed.

It’s a real shame that we don’t get IN BRUGES in Blu-ray, because I’m sure the beautiful medieval town would’ve looked gorgeous in Hi-Def. At least we get a couple of interesting featurettes detailing the making of the film, the experience of shooting in Bruges, and a short tour of Bruges with factoids included. There’s a slew of deleted scenes, a gag reel, and truncated version of the film that showcases all of the F-Bombs dropped throughout the flick.

This could’ve easily have turned out to be a fun little farce about a couple of crooked fish out of water, and honestly I’m sure that would’ve been just fine. But, thankfully, it strives to be more than just that. Thanks to a cast of actors committed to imbuing their characters with real heart, nuances, and a slightly twisted sense of morality and principles, IN BRUGES ends up being one of those rare Crime Dramas where even the bad guys achieve a level of humanity that we can all identify and sympathize with. We don’t want to see any of ‘em dead really, but alas this is a movie about criminals after all. And you know what they say about folks that live by the sword…Until next time, see you at the movies!
Bobert’s Rating: - A MUST-SEE!