Movie Rewind: In Bruges (2008)

Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Colin Farrell (Minority Report, Daredevil), Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter, Troy), Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, Schindler's List), Clemence Poesy (Harry Potter), Jordan Prentice, Thelka Reuten, Jeremie Renier

The Deal: Hit men Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson) are ordered to lay low in Bruges, the most well-preserved medieval city in Belgium. Though their boss describes the town as a fairytale place to enjoy time off, Ray is jittery and can't stand to be there. Things take a turn for the worse when a hit is ordered that will test Ray and Ken like never before, one they may not walk away from alive.

Thoughts: In Bruges sports action, humor, and a dark and well written story. The characters are deep and are really challenged by inner turmoils over what they believe is right. As said in the film "you've got to stick by your principles." The violence, when there, is heavy and quite bloody. The story is engaging and has a few good twists. And then there's the humor. Ray and Ken spend plenty of time bickering about essentially nothing, which is always funny, but then there's scenes that involve karate chopping a dwarf and cocaine-induced thoughts of race wars. There's plenty of the dark humor, but the film remains surprisingly serious and deep throughout.

One of the film's biggest strengths is the acting. I'm not one to usually applaud Farrell for anything, but he was quite good here. His chemistry with Gleeson made for a hilarious and entertaining hit man duo. The two worked effortlessly together, and it made the film all the more enjoyable. Fiennes also delivers a very good performance, and the combination of those three actors makes for a very interesting triangle. They all have their own beliefs, and they each stick by them to the end, even when none of them agree. The actors all handle this situation well, and it helps round out the film.

Verdict: In Bruges has action, comedy, good acting, and a great story. It's incredibly entertaining and engaging, and if you haven't seen it already, I suggest you make it the next film you see. ☆☆☆☆1/2