In Bruges Is In-credibly Funny

Stefani Rubino, Staff Writer

Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: Variety

• Print
• Email

• Page 1 of 1

Most filmgoers in the United States know Colin Farrell (Alexander, Miami Vice) simply as an action-hero or bad guy or an actor who only does big-budget blockbuster films. However, he has surprised his audience with indie-action flick In Bruges, which came out last week starring the surprisingly versatile Farrell.
Written and directed by popular playwright Martin McDonagh, In Bruges (pronounced "broozh") focuses on Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), two hit men sent to the titular sleepy Belgium town to relax after a surprisingly difficult and bloody job they did in London. There, they must live their lives as tourists while awaiting a phone call from their boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes). However, instead of keeping to themselves and laying low as they were told, they, especially Ray, get into all sorts of trouble with other tourists, townspeople, Dutch prostitutes, an American dwarf, and potential love-interest for Ray, Chloe (Clemence Poesy).
Farrell's performance was, by far, the best in the entire film. He was witty, dramatic, and still had some of that tough-guy sort of flair. The character of Ray actually turned out to be pretty complex and Farrell took it on like a professional, like someone who had been playing these types of characters for years. Farrell's timing is perfect and every joke, one-liner, or smart-ass response comes in at the best time possible, showing that he is more than just a meathead who only plays characters that kick ass or kill people.
Gleeson's (Beowulf, Kingdom of Heaven) and Fiennes's (The Constant Gardner, Harry Potter series) performances are startlingly great as well. Gleeson mostly always plays sidekicks or wingmen, but here he takes on a more substantial role as "babysitter" for Ray. Gleeson plays an interesting character; Ken is a man who pretends to be strong and dangerous on the outside but actually takes solace in the sites and people of Bruges and keeps a close watch on Ray as if he were his own son, showing that he is actually a sensitive and caring guy.
Fiennes is usually mysterious and sometimes very awkward on screen, which is what makes his performances so interesting to watch. In Bruges is a testament to that fact. Fiennes plays the boss of a group of hit men, which viewers would expect to be elusive and weird. Fiennes does a great job, as he normally does, and turns Harry into a powerful character, even though he is only a side-character.
The best thing about this film, though, is not just the acting, but how hilarious and witty the writing is. The dialogue in the film is smart, and even though there are points with high-action, the script takes the show. Viewers will be laughing before the movie even really gets moving, and the most memorable scenes turn out to be the ones with the most jokes, not the most action.
For me, In Bruges is the perfect type of action movie, one where the action falls in the background and reveals a more humane element to the people doing the killing. Ray and Ken's fumbles through Bruges prove to be more entertaining than the gun battles at different parts throughout the film. All-in-all, In Bruges is a movie for anybody and everybody who is looking for a smart, entertaining film without all of the emotional baggage that comes along with it.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools

Share:

• Facebook
• Blogger
• del.icio.us
• digg
• newsvine

Subscribe:

• My Yahoo!
• Google

Be the first to comment on this story

• Name: (required)
• Email: (required)
• NOTE: Email address will not be published
• Website:

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail

Email notify will not work because you are not currently logged in.
Click here to quickly login or create a free account.

Type your comment below (html not allowed)

  I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.