Fantastic

Rating: 8/10 (8 May 2008)

I saw this movie on a whim. I had heard good things about it from friends, and the reviews seemed positive enough, but I wasn't necessarily chomping at the bit to see it. I wasn't terribly impressed with Martin McDonough's Oscar-winning short film Revolver, but, based on the buzz, I figured In Bruges was worth a look. I was very mistaken in my assumptions. This is an absolutely fantastic movie. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are both phenomenal, and Ralph Fiennes, though he only appears halfway through the film, is perfect as a hard-edged crime boss with a short fuse. Colin Farrell tends to catch a lot of guff for his performances, but I have always found him to be a very talented actor. He may not always choose the best roles, but in everything that I've seen him in he has engaged me as a viewer. Here, his work is superb. He nails everything about the character of Ray, and is utterly believable as a hit-man wrestling with his demons. Clemence Poesy is good as well, and obviously very beautiful and enigmatic, though her character wasn't as fully fleshed out as I would have liked. Bruges makes a gorgeous backdrop for the action of the film, and having recently returned from Belgium myself (not Bruges, however, though now I wish I'd gone there), the charm of the country and the overwhelming sense of history is captured perfectly. The fairytale town is not only beautiful, but its atmosphere and the palpable sense of medieval ideals are essential to the central ideas of the story. And what a story it is. In my opinion, the script is the strength of this film. Thematically, emotionally, and narratively, this script is firing on all cylinders. McDonough does a fantastic job of connecting the characters not only through their actions, but through the dramatic tension inherent in maintaining proximity with people whom you may not really like. The relationship that evolves between Ray and Ken is brilliant, and the secondary characters fill in the gaps admirably. The sense of sacrifice and redemption is handled very well, and at no point do the actions taken by the characters feel forced or unrealistic. Nor do their interactions with one another feel overly expository. Everything is very even-handed, and McDonough has crafted one hell of a well-balanced. The trailers lead one to believe that this is a sort of noir/comedy. It is, in a sense, and there are many funny parts, but there are some very serious themes presented here. Hell, guilt, redemption, and sacrifice are the themes that drive the story, and Martin McDounough's ability to inject humor into very serious subject matter is part of what makes this film so successful. Overall, a great movie, and an exceptionally original piece of film-making.