Movie Review: "In Bruges"

For what it's worth, I hope I don't end up in Bruges, either.

Starring Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, and Ralph Fiennes. Directed by Martin McDonagh.

POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING: You have been warned.

A theatre reaction can usually tell how good or bad a movie was, no matter what opinion I may have. The reaction from this movie was silence. Maybe it's the area and the films we've grown up on here, or maybe we didn't know how to gauge it. There are things I liked about this movie, and things I was unsure of.

The story is about Ken (Gleeson) a pro hit-man and his new partner Ray (Farrell). After a job in killing a priest gets botched (a child gets shot in the head) both are told by their boss Harry (Fiennes) to get to Bruges. There Ken takes in the scenery and does the tourist thing while Ray tries finding ways of getting his kicks and at the same time, battling the inner demon of accidentally killing a kid. They're to be there for two weeks until their employer decides what to do. Ray walks around and gets interested in a film being shot there because of a) a cute girl he wants to be with and 2) the film has a dwarf. Complications occur when Harry calls Ken and tells him to off Ray the next day. When Ken begins to go through with killing Ray, Ray is about to commit suicide. This changes things and Harry travels to Bruges, hell-bent on killing Ray and Ken.

This movie starts slow, but begins picking up midway through. Gleeson, Farrell, and Fiennes do well as the characters they have to play. The only real problem I had with the movie is... I liked it, but can't say that I enjoyed it. There are funny moments and I can't fault the movie for having a story (which is a complaint I have on a lot of films). It's just that there was somberness as everyone walked out of the theatre. Maybe it needs a second viewing.

Reason to see this movie: it's a different kind of hitman "dark comedy." Reason not to see this movie: you're not into indie/foreign or thinking movies. Or hitman movies.

My grade: B-