A Truly Dark Comedy

Rating: 10/10 (29 September 2016)

When you think of a dark comedy you generally associate it with dark humor. However, in the case of In Bruges, it is the story and themes that are dark with the humor used as levity, unlike others which use it simply to get a laugh out of their film, the comedy in In Bruges serves a purpose.
In terms of acting this movie is top-notch with all actors at the top of their game, namely Colin Farrell as Ray, Brandon Gleeson as Ken, and Ralph Fiennes as Harry. Every actor absolutely nails their roles and give truly convincing performances. On top of that, every character is multi-layered and interesting in their own unique way, Ray could've just been a mentally unstable whiny guy who didn't want to be in Bruges, but he was also a guilt-ridden suicide case who doesn't know if life is truly worth living anymore. Ken could've been just another old mentor figure, but he was also a conflicted man being forced to decide between what is right and wrong. Harry could've been just an easily- enraged menacing villain, but he was also an incredibly honor-driven man and a clearly loving father (to a certain extent). Even the side characters all add their own unique likability to the film. Huge props to this film for knowing how to create truly interesting and likable characters.
Now that that's out of the way, let's get to what truly makes this film great: the themes explored in the dialogue. Despite technically being a comedy, like The Truman Show, this film is so much more than just something to laugh at. Themes explored include guilt, depression, suicide, death, morality, and even the meaning of life. This movie somehow manages to seamlessly blend all of these themes into it's narrative using the oldest trick in the book when it comes to exploring themes: dialogue. This movie has amazing dialogue between it's characters and truly makes them feel like real people by having them swear, use slang, and occasionally joke while discussing the themes mentioned above. A round of applause for Martin McDonagh, who wrote and directed the film and truly breathed life into his work.
So to summarize, In Bruges is an absolutely incredible movie with interesting themes, fantastic performances, and very good direction. It's refreshing to see such a well made comedy which knows that humor alone is not what makes a movie great. Despite it's somewhat underrated status I consider this film to be a must-watch for anyone and everyone.
The End