In Bruges 10 out of 10 Posted: 09/09/08   Running time: 1:47 MPAA rating: R (intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.)   Peruvian rating: Mayores de 18   Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Poésy, Jordan Prentice, Thekla Reuten. Director: Martin McDonagh Script: Martin McDonagh Photography: Eigil Bryld Score: Carter Burwell Distributor: Focus Features

I didn't know what to expect from In Bruges. All I knew was that many critics had liked the movie, and a guy at school had recommended the film to me without saying what it was about. This kind of thing doesn't happen too often – I usually know a good quantity of information about a film I'm about to see, so it was refreshing to watch In Bruges with absolutely no expectations at all. And it was even more refreshing to realize, the moment the end credits started rolling, that I had just watched a really good motion picture. Where is Bruges located? In Belgium. Does it serve as good propaganda for the city? Yes it does – unless you count Colin Farrell's particular dislike for its culture. Does it serve as a good means for entertainment? Most certainly. In fact, one could say In Bruges is one of this year's most overlooked masterpieces. It certainly did deserve to be seen by larger audiences.

The film tells the story of Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) two hitmen who have arrived in Bruges for “holidays.” Well, not really... they have been sent there by their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes) after something went wrong with their latest job. Ken seems to love Bruges – the culture, the castles, the canals, the swans, and so on, - while Ray seems to hate it. The former kills time by looking around and sightseeing, while the latter wonders around in a bad mood, gets himself in a little trouble, and finds a little love with a pretty girl working for a movie production, Chloe (Clémence Poésy). But suddenly, Harry calls Ken, and the real purpose of the trip becomes evident to the hitman. What should his decision be?

Writer/director Martin McDonagh's affinity for memorable dialogue is evident from the moment the movie starts. In Bruges is full of smart dialogue and instances of witty comedy, which make it more entertaining and less bleak than it would have been if the material had been treated more seriously. There's a lot of profanity to be found – Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes seem to be especially keen at swearing all the time -, but as in the case of films like Snatch or Goodfellas, dialogue works, in great part, thanks to all the swearing. I particularly liked Harry's letter sent to the hitmen, or the way an American tourist treats both Ken and Ray after they warn her against going up the tower in the plaza. Granted, these are small moments, but they are pleasurable nonetheless, working perfectly amidst all the expertly-written dialogue. The movie is crafted in a way that doesn't make it too fast paced, but that doesn't bore the viewer either. In Bruges doesn't need action – at least not for the first hour or so – to engage.

Colin Farrell proves in this film that he's a better thespian than what most people think. I love the fact that he's been given the opportunity to use his Irish accent – it makes all his dialogue sound even better and, let's face it, more realistic and sometimes hilarious. He gives Ray a rebel's quality and an impulsive personality that works within the context of the film. Additionally, his chemistry with Clémence Poésy is palpable and, well yeah, they make a good couple. Not that Poésy is a bad actress with only the looks to provide – yes, she's gorgeous (one of the most beautifully actresses I've had the pleasure to watch onscreen, actually), but she's also immensely talented, adding a little spice and romance to the proceedings. Brendan Gleeson is as reliable as always, a magnificent actor, and Ralph Fiennes chews the scenery with all his profanity and evil looks. A supporting performance by dwarf actor Jordan Prentice is also great – he appears in some of the most memorable and, well, bizarre scenes in the movie.

I like In Bruges because it is unlike any other movie I've seen before. Yes, it's got the requisite shoot-outs, but they're handled different by both the actors and the characters. Yes, it's got humour, but it all comes from the actors and their characters, not from the screenplay (if you know what I mean; I'm sure you do), flowing naturally and resulting in genuinely funny moments. Yes, it's got romance, but it is underplayed, and feels natural. I especially like one of the last scenes – it features Ray and Chloe chatting in a café (as other more significant events are unfolding), and they suddenly start to kiss. It feels so natural, so honest, so realistic, that I felt as if I were watching a normal couple kiss in public. They didn't look like actors – there was something in the kiss that made me realize how superbly acted this motion picture is. You know what? This kind of thing doesn't happen often really. Even while watching some of the best films out there, I knew those guys were acting. (Because, really, that is their job, isn't it?) Even as over-the-top as Farrell, Fiennes and Gleeson went sometimes, they didn't really seem to be acting. It looked and, most importantly, felt real.

So yeah, the ending is a little contrived, (I was kinda bothered by the way Harry's part of the story is wrapped up), but it doesn't really do much damage to the movie. I liked it, actually, because it makes sense, and because of the way the fates of most characters are intertwined throughout the last minutes of running time. I like Fiennes' chewing of the scenery (he's a great bad guy both in here and in the Harry Potter flicks); I like the fact that Farrell has been given the opportunity to go into full-Irish mode, and I like both the looks and the talents of Clémence Poésy, as well as Gleeson and Prentice's honest performances and McDonagh's masterful direction. In Bruges is a thriller, and yes, it does manage thrill, but not because it's full of shoot-outs, explosions, car chases or fistfights, but because the filmmakers make the audience become engaged to the situations the characters become involved in, and because the film as a whole feels real. Looking realistic is one thing, but feeling like the events onscreen are actually happening... is something else entirely. You know what? Maybe that's why In Bruges works so beautifully.

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