Bruges, I love you

Rating: 9/10 (28 October 2009)

This movie is beautifully shot and beautifully cast. I was extremely impressed from start to finish. I believe this is the first role of Colin Farrell's that I enjoyed and felt moved by. Ralph Fiennes is always surprising and edges more and more into my list of favorite actors. The guy who plays Ken is barely three-dimensional. He seems very 'normal' compared to the other characters.
The film, as you know, is set in the small Dutch town of Bruges. It's an old Medieval tourist town that is seemingly unimpressive to the common person at first glance.
Bruges serves as a sort of purgatory for the two protagonists of the film. They are informed to 'lay low' in Bruges and to wait for a call from their employer. The two main characters spend their time exploring the town to pass time. They don't anticipate the danger is right around the corner, their employer being extremely disappointed in their last job.
This small town in the middle of nowhere turns into a battlefield, some gladiators battling for honor - some for survival.
Lots of laughs, but don't let the comedic aspect overshadow the dark and real subject matter that looms over the two characters. There are many serious themes that are brought very realistically to the screen: Regret, Atonement, Depression, Suicide, Honor killing.
Oh yeah, and there's a midget. Score! 9/10