In Bruges, starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes, is one of the best comedy films I've ever seen. When it comes to black comedy, I'd put it right up there with Kubrick's masterpiece Dr Strangelove, which is one of my all-time favorite films.
The plot essentially goes like this: two hitmen, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are given a job to kill a priest. Ray, the rookie of the two, successfully manages to do so, but accidentally takes out a little boy in the process as well. So, they are told to go to Bruges, Belgium until their boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) gives them a call. Ken is very interested in the abundance of historical sites Bruges has to offer, and he really wants to see and admire the small city's architecture and museums. Ray, completely hates the experience and idea of being in Bruges, and has no problems expressing this view loudly and repeatedly. He remains in the same manic mood until he meets a really attractive Belgian "actress" Chloe (Clemense Poesy), and he gets a date with her the next night. Ken agrees to let him go, on the condition that they go sightseeing in the morning and the afternoon. Ray eventually finds out his new friend's real job, and manages to offend an American dwarf actor (Joey Prentice, even though I thought it was Peter Dinklage for most of the film). Harry finally gives a call two days later to Ken, and Ken's refusal to obey this specific order sets in motion a series of tragic events that would ruin the whole film.
That being said, this film is maniacally depressing and hilarious, often in the same scene. One of the best examples I can give of this is when Ken and Ray talk about unnecessary casualties while doing their assignments. Ken talks about a lollipop man who tried to defend his brother, while Ray finds out several flaws in the story and the circumstances. In the same scene, Ken nearly breaks down crying, due to his guilt from killing the little boy. Martin McDonagh did an excellent job with the screenplay, turning it into a comic masterpiece and a compelling character study at the same time.
I can't praise the acting enough in this film. Colin Farrell is amazing in his performance, and showed stronger, hidden depths to his acting ability. He is hilarious, manic, yet also heartbreaking. I really felt his grief throughout the whole film, and I couldn't stop laughing at his antics either. Brendan Gleeson gave a simply outstanding performance, being funny and tragic, albeit in a more understated way than Farrell. Gleeson makes Ken a truly likable character we can feel for, and in my honest opinion, Farrell and Gleeson both deserved Best Actor Oscar nominations, with either of them being wholly deserving of the prize.
Ralph Fiennes is excellent as the villain of the film. He shows Harry as someone who is insane, yet with a sense of principles and honor he follows till the end. In the beginning, when he was a voice in the phone, he is profane and riotous. He has such amazing chemistry with his co-stars (they all do, in fact), and he just simply works. Every line that comes out of his mouth is pure comedic gold, and he deserved a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, even though it rightfully went to Heath Ledger.
In Bruges is a film that I find absolutely flawless, and it is a real delight to watch. However, if you're easily offended and/or depressed, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to you to watch. There is severe swearing throughout the film, with graphic violence tied between. It is still a brilliant film that deserves to be watched.
Score: 5/5
