The best Belgian film ever

Rating: 9/10 (4 August 2008)

It doesn't happen too often that international productions are filmed in Belgium. That's why it was big news in Belgium when Martin McDonagh came to Bruges to shoot his film over here. A film with a title like this, couldn't be filmed anywhere but in Belgium, you can argue. Right, but the film could as well have been called 'In Prague', 'In Sevilla', 'In Florence' or 'In Talinn' if you want. Only, Martin McDonagh sincerely seemed to be mesmerized by the city which we like to call the Venice of the North. Bruges is beautiful, fairytale-like and on a certain level the city really looks like an open-air-museum, though the mayor of Bruges and his band try very hard to make Bruges a modern, contemporary city and succeed to have it be more. So, it's human for foreigners in the first place to be mesmerized by Bruges. And indeed, it is possible that Martin McDonagh loved the city that much that he really wanted his film to be made over there. In that case, Bruges is very lucky. But whether Bruges did everything to get this production to their city or it was the director or the producer who decided to film in Bruges, it makes no difference, the result is great. It's a story about two hit men arriving in Bruges. As a viewer the only information we get at first is that something went wrong with their last job. So their boss gave them the order to travel to Bruges, and keep low for a while, try to be unnoticed and enjoy the great views. The oldest of the two seems to be the smarter one. He enjoys to do some sightseeing and loves the old buildings, the museums and the great paintings by Flemish masters. He is brilliantly played by Brendan Gleeson. You believe he can be a tough guy, who is capable of murdering someone, but on the other hand he's very soft, sweet and nice, gentle and a joy to be around. One likes to listen to him when he talks, and you can't dream of a better companion to find hanging around in a bar Bruges and to have a couple of beers with. His partner is the wild one, he is played by Colin Farrell, the actor who seemed to have forgotten for a couple of years that he was an actor. Hollywood wanted him to be a star instead. An image that didn't him. He is an actor indeed, and he proves it here. A brilliant one. He's a comedian even. I didn't know he was capable of giving such a performance. Really astonishing. The rest of the cast is also great. But of course everything stands or falls with Bruges and the performances of the two leading actors. As a Flemish Belgian it is a pity we don't get to see one Flemish actor in the film, while Bruges is in Flanders and the only Belgians in the film are played by Dutch, French and Walloon actors, who -- mind you  are all great. I couldn't think of a negative word on this film. It's the best comedy I've seen in a long time. I laughed my head off. Not once, but also the second time I went to see the film. Bruges is so lucky that this film is made over here. Although McDonagh and his cast make fun of the city and of boring Belgium all the time, it's the greatest publicity Bruges and Belgium could dream of. The film shows how beautiful some corners of our country are, and how great it is to live over here. I was proud to be Belgian before seeing this film, I am even more so after seeing it. And I will see it again and again. It's so funny when something you love is made fun of. We know it's good, so everyone can laugh. Also great are the constant laughs at the expense of the fat American tourists. Easy laughs, I know, but funny nevertheless.