Grim, Humorous, and Sense-Satisfying

Rating: 8/10 (21 April 2011)

It seems odd to start with a film's score, but the impact that Carter Burwell's work has on this film should not go unnoticed. His scoring creates a mood throughout that, to paraphrase from the film, puts the film somewhere between reality and a dream, much of the time - it's that good. Ralph Fiennes is brilliant, and is reminiscent of Kingsley in "Sexy Beast" - brutally principled, and seemingly, perpetually angry. Brendan Gleeson also contributes a strong performance. I was prepared to not like Farrell, but in reality, he strikes a good balance between lackadaisical thuggery and poignant vulnerability...I tried to think of who might've done better in the role, actors like Ewan McGregor, for instance, but actually, I couldn't think of any (Ewan included). The movie itself strikes that same balance that Farrell's character does. The relatively few scenes of violence are bloody, blunt, and realistic. There are some very funny moments, and humor drifts throughout. In pubs and plazas, Bruges is charmingly Old World - the film is as appealing to the eye as the score is to the ear. Matters of awful gravity, like the killing of children and violence against women, somehow don't drag the film down to an unenjoyable depth. The film stirs thoughts of situational ethics, and that there, compelling the viewer to consider what one believes, makes it a worthy watch. The preciousness and corrigibility of youth, and the sacred status of the expecting mother, juxtaposed with mercenary violence - well done.