In Bruges

"If I'd grown up on a farm and was retarded, Bruges might impress me, but I didn't, so it doesn't."

When this movie was brought up for a night out, I hadn't any idea what I was in for. I was so sure it wasn't going to impress me like Bruges didn't impress Ray (Farrell). Although while in line to purchase tickets, I was reading one of those promotional cutouts. The writer/director is Martin McDonagh. MARTIN MCDONAGH! The British playwright who wrote Queen of Leenane, and my all time favorite play The Pillowman! At that moment, I was all smiles and all tingles in my toes. This man made me laugh at a child getting crucified. Who laughs at something like that? For those who try to achieve black humor and fail, its because there is lack of something that McDonagh has figured out. And of course its horrible. Its not like there isn't remorse and disgust in the pieces, but its something that keeps the plot going and the audience engrossed.

“In Bruges” is a dark tale about two hit men who hide out in medieval town in Belgium waiting for their boss to give them their next step after a difficult hit. Brendan Gleason and Colin Farrell are simply great together. I haven’t seen all of their movies, but even so, I would go as far to say as these being one of their highlight performances. Farrell’s party pooper antics compared to Gleason’s tourist and informative guidebook lectures are enough to make you sit there and watch intently. And believe, Farrell has barely kept people aware of anything other than his looks and finally his performance took over! I couldn’t stop calling him by his characters name, Ray, during discussions.

I do admit when the film first started and all of the B-roll from around town played on the screen that a feeling of insecurity was creeping up my spine. It turns out that Bruges is a character all its own. Not to mention, once McDonagh’s dialogue began to come alive, that is when I became entirely engrossed! It came alive the first syllable. He does black comedy so well and is a natural at storytelling (which of course many films right now are lacking). Remember the saying your grandmother used to recite while cleaning up messes: a place for everything and everything in its place? I would use that to describe his storytelling. Even if you doubt that this one thing won’t come back later, you’re wrong.

I would love to say more about it, but you’ll have to see it.