In Bruges

Rating: 7/10 (6 September 2010)

I had heard a little about this film when it was out in cinemas, certainly the leading actor, so I was quite keen to give it a try when I had the chance to see it. Basically Irish hit men Ray (Golden Globe winning Colin Farrell) and Ken (BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Brendan Gleeson) are sent by Londoner and mobster Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes) to lie low after a job in a London church went wrong. Ray was supposed to kill the priest of the church for a hit, and he accidentally kills a child with the same bullet, and he has had nightmares about it since. They have been sent to lie low in Bruges, Belgium, during the Christmas holiday, and while Ray is bored and missing home, Ken is wanting to enjoy the things to do and see. Ray has his bored attitude changed when he meets drug dealing crook Chloë Villette (Clémence Poésy) who is dealing during a movie being filmed, starring American dwarf actor Jimmy (American Pie Presents The Naked Mile's Jordan Prentice). Harry calls with instructions for their hit, but Ken refuses forcing the mobster to come to Bruges to settle the score and have a showdown in the Belgian square in the area. In the end, after seeing Ken fall to his death and speak his last words, and a gun to give him, Ray kills Harry, and once again unintentionally a small person, Jimmy. Also starring Jérémie Renier as Eirik, Elizabeth Berrington as Natalie and Eric Godon as Yuri. Farrell, with his unusually large eye brows, and Gleeson with his Irish prowess, and the always reliable Fiennes putting on a lighter than usual voice make a good cast. It may be a little politically incorrect in parts, it even shocks you with the death of the child, but some humorous moments and a witty script, it does do well as a black comedy drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, it won the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay, and it was nominated for Best Editing and Outstanding British Film, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. Very good!