In Bruges
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 Wow! What an absolutely great movie - fantastic scenery, wonderful sound track and outstanding acting by all three "thugs" (I'm a huge fan of Ralph Fiennes - no surprise there, but Colin Farrel just blew me away as well) and what a storyline - funny, tender, suspenseful. I can't wait to see it again and again. Even Professional Murderers Have Their Feelings "Without dreaming of telling you what happens next, I will say it is not only ingenious but almost inevitable the way the screenplay brings all of these destinies together at one place and time. Along the way, there are times of great sadness and poignancy, times of abandon, times of goofiness, and that kind of humor that is really funny because it grows out of character and close observation. Farrell in particular hasn't been this good in a few films, perhaps because this time he's allowed to relax and be Irish." Roger Ebert 'In Bruges' is one of those films that surprises you around every corner. The first impression I had was 'I have got to visit Bruges'- the film depicts such a beautiful, medieval city and every scene has a new vista. The city seems to play upon the characters- the towers, the museums, the churches, the pubs, the cobblestone square, and the canals all feed in to give us a view of the mindset of the two main characters. Brendan Gleeson, a big hunk of a man who has a face like a map of the world. Every feeling, every expression is shown on his face. Colin Farrell, is a true Irishman, Bruges to him is a 'shitpot'. He is not a sightseer, nothing nice about the place, just wants a beer in a pub and to move on. Ralph Fiennes as the boss back in London, heard on the phone and finally seen. These two men Gleeson and Farrell are Irish hitmen. The premise is pretty simple. They kill and one of them made a mistake and killed a child. They have been sent to Bruges to hide. The boss loves Bruges, and this is supposed to be a treat. Well, it is for Gleeson, he is the inveterate sightseer and does all the spots and enjoys it. Farrell, on the other hand hates Bruges- hia scene is beer and pubs and he wants to go home. He realizes some fun when he comes upon a movie being filmed. He makes friends with a young woman who supplies drugs to the crew, and a dwarf who is in a dream sequence. From there on the film moves from one surprise to the other. We finally get to see Fiennes and his surprising personality. That is all I am going to say. This is a sharply written and superbly acted film. As one of my other friend's review states- this is 'Pulp Fiction' with heart and soul. Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-29-08 Colin Farrell: Living Dangerously A Dangerous Man  The Psychic Isolation of Two Hit Men in Bruges Martin McDonagh makes an impressive writing and directing debut with the very fresh and entertaining and surprisingly well rounded film IN BRUGES. Though the basic storyline is rather simple, McDonagh knows how to keep it turning and twisting with generous amounts of humor as well as probing character development. He has assembled a cast of very fine actors, turned the cinematography of the gorgeous Belgian city of Bruges over to the capable creative hands of Eigil Bryld, and finished his project off with a fine musical score by the gifted Carter Burwell (with a nod to Schubert and others): the result is a beautiful little film with messages galore and always a visual treat to see repeatedly. Two hit men - Ken (Brendan Gleeson), a chubby, optimistic bloke who loves spending time with the sights of Bruges, and Ray (Colin Farrell), an emotionally distraught young man in the throes of guilt from a botched 'hit' that accidentally killed a young boy - have been sent by their 'boss' Harry (Ralph Fiennes) to 'lay low' after the botched murder of a priest (Ciarán Hinds). It is Christmas season and there are too few rooms available so Ken and Ray reluctantly share a tiny hotel room to await further orders from Harry. Ken falls in love with the beauty of the city of Bruges while Ray, ever anxious and distrustful, finds some solace in a film being shot about 'midgets' (Jérémie Renie) with behind the scenes girl Chloë (Clémence Poésy). How these two Irish guys make the most of their enforced isolation ultimately leads to the real reason for their assignment, a reason that includes a last 'hit' that sweeps the audience to a surprising ending. McDonagh writes very well, giving some of the best comedic lines to Farrell who proves himself a fine fit for this difficult role. Yes, it is another 'hit man film', but this one has the good fortune to deal with very real people, conflicted with their choice of 'occupation' and who are hungry to share their tenuous lives with good friends. Though there is considerable bloody derring-do, the film uses the chase and kill scenes to good advantage, allowing the audience to feel the human side of those whose job it is to 'off' others. Both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are superb and their roles are enhanced by a choice selection of character actors who speed the plot along nicely. This is a very entertaining movie, one that can be appreciated on many levels, and one that suggests that Martin McDonagh has a solid future in cinema. Grady Harp, June 08 A Landmark Film Saw this last night in the cinema and was left feeling invigorated by a renewed optimism in the film industry. It is still possible to come up with a great, original, exciting movie experience. This feels like an entirely new genre of film. Yes, it is a comedy - The blackest of black comedies. The dialogue is brilliant...stunning in some places and that's where the laughs come from. The setting becomes a character in itself and crucial to the juxtaposition of the brutal with the beautiful, the wise with the stupid, the boring with the exciting and the politically correct with the outrageously offensive. The brutal violent moments are there for a reason - to flesh out the morality play that is 'in play.' Best film I have seen in a long time. Amazing to watch. Interesting to think about. All about honour and morality amongst the most unlikely candidates. One dum-dum bullet short of a masterpiece. | |||||||||||||
