One of the best films of the year

Rating: 9/10 (4 September 2008)

I like to think of movies like In Bruges as genuine gems. When I say "movies like In Bruges", I necessarily think of films with similar subject matter. I tend to think of those kind of films which justappear. Out of nowhere, you hear about a movie. The promotional material looks rather impressive. The film looks like it belongs to a genre you're interested in. You allow yourself a glimpse of the basic plot (no more, lest the experience is spoilt) and it sounds like something that, in the right hands, could be inflated into a compelling piece of cinema. In Bruges is a tick in each of those boxes. As of writing, I'd definitely consider it one of the best films I've seen all year, if not the best outright.
"What makes you say that?" you may ask. I guess the simple answer is this  everything. Yes, I know, very simple  but everything in this movie just falls right into place and the result is a finely polished caper flick. If I had to pinpoint the film's strongest individual part, I'd say it was the script. Writer-director McDonagh is also a renowned playwright, and the same quality translates to the film's story. In Bruges has a very play-like feel to it, largely due to its heavy reliance on character development. As the two leads, Gleeson and Farrell are nothing short of brilliant. They are capable of taking several different "duo" clichés and twisting them into something that feels surprisingly fresh, and even when they're not paired together, they maintain strong presences on-screen. Gleeson is perfect as the amiable Ken, but Farrell truly shines as Ray, who balances cockiness with insecurity deftly. Even though I haven't seen much of Farrell's other work, I honestly think he turned in a potential career-best act here.
The supporting cast is also treated very well. Even the smallest supporting characters are a source of great comedy or great drama, whatever may be needed. Whenever they reappear in the story, it never feels forced but fits in perfectly. Out of all of them, Jordan Prentice steals the show as an embittered American dwarf who's in Bruges to make an art-house film. The only real weakness I could find with the cast was Clémence Poésy as drug-dealer/love interest Chlöe, who isn't necessarily bad, but isn't really given anything spectacular to work with.
The film rolls along at a great pace. There is the very occasional scene that doesn't feel like it goes anywhere, but the rest of it manages to be great. The balance between comedy (largely as a result of Ray's none-too-pleasant altercations with locals and non-locals alike) and drama is excellent. The film has countless laugh-out-loud moments, yet it also has some genuinely shocking twists in it. It manages to remain compelling all throughout its running time. Another aspect I feel really gives the film a distinct feel is the location of Bruges itself. You've got to love those films where the location virtually becomes a character in the story, and Bruges (memorably described by Ralph Fiennes's Harry as a "beautiful f***ing fairy tale town") certainly comes into its own as such a "character". The locales are brilliant, none so much as the Bell Tower, which is easily the most memorable building featured in the film.
To conclude, I loved In Bruges. Plain and simple. It's a hundred-odd minutes worth of entertainment, both comedic and tragic. What few flaws this film has are made up for by its many strengths. It may be a little strong in the violence/language department, but if that doesn't bother you, you should enjoy this, easily one of the best films I've watched in a while.