“At the same time as trying to lead a good life I have to reconcile myself with the fact that – yes – I have killed people. Not many people… most of them were not very nice people.”
Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and his protégé Ray (Colin Farrell) are two of the most likeable cold blooded hit men you are ever likely to meet.
They’re on the run after a hit in London that went wrong. Handed his first assignment by gang boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) Ray murdered not only his intended victim but also a six year old boy, hit by a stray bullet.
Packed off to the beautifully preserved medieval Belgian city of Bruges by Harry because he has fond memories of a childhood holiday there, the two men find themselves at a loose end. Ken’s happy to kill time taking in the sights but a cultural experience is the last thing that Ray is interested in.
Haunted by the death of the little boy but not so grief-stricken that he doesn’t want to have a good time, Ray sets his sights on beer, women and getting out of Bruges. To him it’s the most boring place on earth.
In an accompanying DVD featurette Farrell describes the script for IN BRUGES as not like anything he’s read before, and he’s right. The story is an exhilarating mix of black comedy and tragedy which stands as a totally original piece of entertainment rather than simply summoning to mind a dozen other similar films.
The credit for this belongs largely to writer and first time feature length film director Martin McDonagh. In Ray and Ken he has created two wonderfully memorable and believable characters that the audience can’t help but come to empathise with despite their bloody profession.
The jug-eared warm-hearted worldly wise Ken and the scruffily handsome, street smart, childlike and political incorrect Ray are an endearing odd couple brilliantly brought to life by Gleeson and Farrell. Gleeson brings class and credibility to any project he works on, but Farrell is a revelation.
To watch him at work in this film is to appreciate how his talents have been wasted in empty Hollywood blockbusters like “Miami Vice” and “Alexander.” This guy can really act!
The story’s third major character, Harry, doesn’t make his first appearance until over an hour in, but he’s well worth the wait. If Fiennes weren’t up against such stiff competition his humourless and psychopathic south London gangster would have stolen the film – he’s that good.
Rounding out the quartet is Bruges itself. The film captures not only the medieval beauty of the city but also the dull damp chilly light of a European city out of season. The picture oozes an atmosphere which is hard to quantify but easy to sense.
IN BRUGES comes with an R rating and that’s not just because of the violence. There's an awful lot of swearing and one word in particular is uttered so many times that it gets its own – very funny - DVD extra.
Personally I’m more offended by bad film making than bad language so I have no hesitation in recommending IN BRUGES as one of the most genuinely entertaining films that I've seen in a long time.
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