Tarantino inspired crime film that scores more hits than misses

Rating: 9/10 (26 April 2008)

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
After a hit in London goes wrong, hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are told to wait in Bruges, a Belgian town, to await a call from Harry (Ralph Fiennes) the crime boss who ordered the hit. Ray was responsible for the hit going wrong, so it's his neck most likely on the line and it doesn't help that while Ken tries to take in the local culture and experience, he sees everything wrong with it. So as they await the call, they must also come to terms with a town where everything seems foreign and weird.
Quentin Tarantino's style of crime thriller writing has inspired some notable imitations, one of which would appear to be this well received Europe set film from Martin McDonaugh.
Your sense of political correctness can be left well at the door, as jabs at the Chinese, midgets and retards come thick and fast. Other problems though, include it being a rather slow and talky film at times, but it's an undeniably sharp and well written film, which makes it funny and thrilling as well. Performances wise, it's nice to see Farrell back (check out the scene where he talks to the midget and the prostitute, double chin or what???) and there's nice support from Gleeson and Fiennes, ditching his usual well spoken brit thing for a sharp cockney villain dialect. ****