Mad, manic and marvellous

Rating: 8/10 (16 September 2012)

I've always preferred watching "old" films - even when they weren't so old I preferred films made in the Golden Age to all those modern films made in the '60's. But I still occasionally try new ones out, usually to my disappointment or disgust but In Bruges is one of the great exceptions. I've now seen this a couple of times: how such seedy violent profanities can appeal to me still puzzles me, but there's no doubt to me that this is a brilliant film – with many faults, dazzling to watch. My daughter wasn't as impressed as me so maybe it helped not to be as used to modern movies or maybe it's just that you'll either love it or hate it.
Two Irish hit men (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) hole up in Bruges - definitely not an excrement-hole – they don't know why except to await orders from their gangster boss Ralph Fiennes back in London. Farrell is mentally tortured by the recollection of accidentally shooting a young boy in the head. When the order finally comes to Gleeson it comes as a surprise to put it mildly. With everyone constantly swearing their heads off with some great lines, all bickering, taking the mickey, the story veering into very dodgy territory at times all depicted with a slapstick frankness, great photography/colour/sense of humour/style, editing and atmospheric music. So what if the denouement was a little contrived and telegraphed to the viewer well in advance, it all made perfect sense in a glorious black comedy. Favourite bits from so many: the opening sentences "After I killed him "; Farrell and the bunch of elephants interested in the church; the dismissive references to gay beers; the wingeing skinhead shot in the eye by a blank; Fiennes sorry for calling his wife an inanimate object; the wonderful meeting between Gleeson and Fiennes in the café, with so many side-splitting unrepeatable comments made or retracted; I really really hoped Farrell wouldn't die too. I never thought I could laugh so much at so much coarseness!
It's fast and stylish, with beautiful Bruges at all times looking like it's from a effing fairy tale. Not recommended if offended by sex/violence/bad language/adult themes (as I very often am, but only in what it shows the film-makers think of their audiences) – however this is an eye popping work of Art, in my admittedly limited experience utterly unique and recommended.