In Bruges, 2008

This is actually a very good movie that suffered from a horribly bad promotion campaign. It is the story of a couple of hitmen who have been sent to Bruges to hide out after a botched assignment. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are excellent together and their characters really do seem believable. Ralph Fiennes is their rigid boss, who has special plans for them. It is funny, violent, and dark (especially dark). The problem is that the trailer that preceded the film was dominated by some very clever dialog that suggested this was a comedy action buddy film like Lethal Weapon. Yes there is humor in it, but it is all black humor that comes out of pain.

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The description of this movie is so amorphous, it is hard to tell what it is about, but after seeing it, you know they were trying not to give away the twists in the story, which are surprising, even a bit weird. This is really about the cast, which is exceptionally good. I will even go out on a limb and say this is worth watching for Colin Farrell, the wildman of acting these days. I have only seen in him in about three, maybe four, movies, but with this one it clicked. You never know what deep surprise he might wrench out of his soul. So we go and watch him, regardless of story. Sort of like---and the comparison is a bit overblown---why people went to see Marlon Brando in a toga in the 50s drama of "Julius Caesar": people just wanted to see the unusual, feisty, independent guy do his thing, even in offbeat material, and that is what Farrell's unique draw is, similar to other actors who become that thing called stars. He (with fine help from Brendan Gleeson, Chloe Villette, and Ralph Fiennes) saves this from being just another grimey, depressing crime melodrama. Taken as a character study, it is very good. The very effective "dark comedy" elements emerge slowly and should not be too overly anticipated since they are often indirect and mostly low-key. 3 or 4 stars. 6.09

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Defying previous stereotypes of the "hitman" genre, IN BRUGES gives us fully-rounded human beings wrestling with the themes of sin and redemption in a town which has all the medieval reminders of just how timeless is the struggle between Man's earthly desires and his conscience. If you don't expect a Hollywood shoot'em-up you'll find a captivating mix of humor, brutality and philosophy. Five-stars for the script, actors and location work.

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I was more or less ambivalent on my feelings for the movie. The premise was plausible enough and could have been potentially interesting, but as it were most of the film dwelled on Farrell's character bemoaning his presence in Bruges - all leading up to a semi-interesting ending that I did see coming. The only problem was I found only Brendan Gleeson's character both believable and interesting. Both Farrell and Fiennes put in a unintersting and uncompelling performance that made both characters forgettable. Personally, I found the little person more interesting, at least he had a true screen presence. There's a ton of swearing, which didn't bother me, but if you're sensitive to that, steer far far clear.

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In Bruges captures just about everything I could ask for in a good film - a thoughtful, unpredictable story; brilliant, dark humor blended with touches of drama for some emotional weight; picturesque cinematography from one of my favorite continents; great performances; suspense; a dwarf... What more could I need? The story plays out like a Rick Steves travel show set in Belgium with an hilarious and sometimes poignant story about hitmen gradually unfolding in the foreground. I liked how, even as the plot picks up steam, we never lose sight of the "fairy tale" town of Bruges. Indeed, the obscure European setting becomes an integral part of the story, almost a character unto itself. The cast is all solid, sometimes surprisingly so. If you must watch a Colin Farrell movie, this is the only one worth the bother. He and Brendan Gleason play the two most likable hitmen since Vince and Jules, and I never realized Ralph Fiennes, who plays their sociopathic boss, could be so funny. Rounding out the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire reunion is Clemence Poesy as Farrell's love interest.

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