Literate,Bloody Crime Caper

Rating: 8/10 (6 May 2008)

In an era when script tends to play a poor second fiddle to visuals, this fine story restores your faith in storytelling. Writer and producer Martin McDonagh already has a distinguished pedigree as a playwright, "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" being perhaps his finest work to date. When some playwrights bring their craft to the big screen they fail to grasp the possibilities that a space beyond a stage offers them. With McDonagh, he brings the best of the intensity of the stage to the screen.
The storyline is simple, two hit men flee London after a job to Bruges, and await instructions.Played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, the first hour is an absolute joy.They talk, they reflect they discuss in a manner very reminiscent of Travolta and Jackson in Pulp Fiction.Intermittently very violent the film oozes restraint making the bloody outbursts even more shocking.A perverse gunman's morality also underpins everything which passes.
Ralph Fiennes has great fun as "Godfather", Harry in a role which acknowledges that played by Ben Kingsley in "Sexy Beast".As is the hallmark of most playwrights, the story has a "proper" end and is all the more satisfying for it.With Tarrantino and Ritchie seemingly spent forces at the moment the field is open for the likes of McDonagh and the Coen brothers to blaze a trail for 21st Century crime capers.
At just over an hour and a half the film also displays a rare discipline as the viewer quickly learns to soak in each setting and each exchange of "badinage" , so little is wasted.As of early May, my favourite film of 2008.