Directed by:
Martin McDonaghScreenplay:
Martin McDonaghCinematography:
Eigil BryldComposer:
Carter BurwellCast:
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Poésy, Eric Godon, Jérémie Renier, Elizabeth Berrington, Željko Ivanek, Anna Madeley, Jordan Prentice (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) 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 & death struggle of comic proportions against one very angry crime boss (Ralph Fiennes)! (Focus Features)
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Reviews (14)
In Bruges is a stylish, strongly un-American, irresistibly incorrect, ultra-cheeky gangster flick that amazingly straddles the line between tragic tears and boisterous laughter. No wonder Martin McDonagh is a theater director. His remote Belgian town is just a makeshift backdrop for a well-acted play featuring twisted nut-jobs portrayed by actors who relish their roles, which are not very typical for them. A must-see for the fans of Tarantino, Ritchie and my favorite, Sexy Beast. Were it not for the villain Don Logan, played by the genius Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes would not have played his best character since Amon Goethe. In Bruges has the potential to gain well-deserved and lasting cult status.
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It reminded me a lot of The American with George Clooney in the lead role. It’s similarly expressionistic, austere, and cold. It’s a slow intimate film with a lot of dialogue, emphasising the beautiful location (this time Bruges, shown in all its glory). Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson play interesting characters, and you want to see them on screen as much as possible, but in the end, Ralph Fiennes steals the film for himself. It may be slightly forced in an artsy way, where, unlike in The American or Drive, it tends to shout to the world, "look at how sophisticated and aware we are," but it still holds true that it is an unconventional and raw, genuine film that is entertaining and also sufficiently on par. You will certainly not forget it, it has many fantastic scenes and moments.
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A flawlessly balanced blend of tragic drama and smart comedy. A film with a (literal) fairytale atmosphere so intense that it fully engulfs you. It’s a little unrealistic – in fact, you aren’t supposed to root for any of the characters, and yet, they are all quite likeable – but all the more charming for that. I was fancying something exactly like this and this film really hit the spot. Which is good, any other day I probably would not give it a full rating, and that would be a shame.
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In his feature movie debut, McDonagh gives us exactly what a viewer well-versed in his shorts (or in his frequently staged plays) would expect. Just the restricted room of one train is replaced by the historical center of Bruges, plus a racist dwarf and the phenomenal Rúaidhrí Conroy is replaced by Colin Farrell. I would just like to know what the very numerous community of Vietnamese dwarves living in Canada would have said to this Irish rampaging in Belgium. They must be just as thrilled as our Prague Vietnamese community who were jubilant at the movie theater. And why not, indeed. Although there are no real negatives in this movie, his theatre plays seem to me to be just slightly better (especially “The Pillow Man", not to mention “The Lonesome West").
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At first glance, I can’t avoid the idea that this film doesn't belong in the major leagues. However, upon longer reflection, I am coming closer and closer to the conclusion that the script is simply unique and there are not many better films in the comedy-drama category in our cinemas these days. Either way, the Brits have once again pulled it off and clearly prove that their dry humour far exceeds the impotent American entertainment of recent years. A thoroughly intimate, human, beautifully told and, above all, superbly acted story about a group of strange individuals whose strange mindset is put to the ultimate test in the form of the strangest city in the world. It may sound contrived, but Martin McDonagh has created a truly hard-to-describe film whose final half hour I would not hesitate to place high in the hall of fame of world cinema. Perhaps the creators could have done without the conversation after the jump from the tower:)) P.S. For the second time I raise the rating to full, this film is really powerful...
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