In Bruges (2008) with Trailer

Two hit men hide out in Bruge, awaiting further instructions after a job goes horribly wrong. That's it, that's the basic premise of this fabulous dark comedy where, Ray (played by the ever roguish Colin Farrell) and Ken (a wise and weary Brendan Gleeson) find the delights of Bruge among their encounters with the locals, fellow tourists, a film crew and a dwarf!

From first time writer and director Martin Mcdonagh, he creates and constructs an amusing tale of two guys, in a city where they've been told to lie low and enjoy what Bruge has to offer. The main laughs come from their differing opinions of Bruge, Ray who sees nothing but old deary and drab buildings where there is nothing for him to do, whereas Ken see the city as a vast historic city with loads of knowledge to be found and sights to be seen. They bicker and argue like a married couple (but with very funny and coarse language), as they wait for instructions from their boss Harry (played by a scene stealing Ralph Fiennes).

The film not only provides us with numerous laugh out loud moments but there are scenes of utter sadness and poignancy. Guilt racked from his botched job allows us to feel sympathy for Ray as he contemplates whether there is a hell and if he is destined to go there (or metaphor for what Bruge is for him, his own personal hell). The characters personalities traits drive the film forward, without it it would go nowhere and it's the exuberant nature of Colin Farrells cheeky Irish charm which gives the film most of it's laughs be it from his lack of tact, or his views on dwarfs (or midgets as he constant calls them) or from one of the more funnier scenes where he offends an overweight American family and they try to chase him round and round on the streets of Bruge. It's visually funny, as well brilliantly written.

The development of characters are fully fleshed out and believable and where the narrative is more driven by their actions and siutation. Not only was I initially impressed by Farrell and Gleeson, but Fiennes has such a ferocious snarl that he almost over acts in his part as their boss Harry. He is as foul mouthed as Farrell but is very funny in his performance as an angry man who has a code which he believes must be kept. A film about hit men in Bruge, you'd expect a lot more violence to go on but there is a lack of it though. It does sneakily show us the sights of Bruge without it getting bogged down or too informative like someones' hoilday video.

A pleasure and a joy to watch, this film did suprise me on first viewing. It's rare to find a film that is so difficult to indicate where it is heading and why, but yet so enjoyable to watch. The script wonderfully brings together the characters in a climatic finale that you could probably see coming but still very clever. A film with so many funny scenes and so many witty lines of exchanges (so many quotable lines, I just crack up thinking about it), a tightly directed and very well written film that it is probably the most entertaining film I have seen in a long while.

Technical Merit 4/5

Narrative 5/5

Acting 5/5

Entertainment 5/5

19/20