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In Bruges | 
 enlarge | Director: Martin Mcdonagh
Actors: Elizabeth Berrington, Rudy Blomme, Olivier Bonjour, Mark Donovan, Ann Elsley
Studio: NBC Universal
Category: Movie
This item is no longer available
Rating:  94 reviews
Sales Rank: 2254
Genre: Action
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 108 Minutes
ASIN: B001D23BFK
Theatrical Release Date: February 8, 2008
Release Date: November 4, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 89 more reviews...
 Hell must be spending the rest of eternity in Bruges (ok, and yes, purgatory must be Tottenham) July 20, 2008
H. Schneider (wechselhaft)
26 out of 29 found this review helpful
Another delightful little British black gangster comedy. Think of: Sexy Biest (w Ben KIngsley). Snatch (w Brad Pitt, Benicio dT ...). Layer Cake (w David Craig). These guys have figured it out. Usually high class actors (here R.Fiennes, who is much more convincing as a bad guy than otherwise, and the quite capable Colin F., who had been a bit overrated for a while, but he really is quite talented).
A basically simple plot (a hit man has screwed up, causing collateral damage; the boss needs to remove him, orders the partner to get it done, which turns out a problem...) runs into obstacles because the protagonists develop unexpected attitudes. Slapstick with guns.
(Disclaimer: let me add that the headline is not my opinion, but a quote from Colin Farrell's character Ray, who thinks that Bruges is a s-hole; I fully disagree with that crass opinion, Bruges is as nice a place as you are likely to find in the whole of Belgium. On Tottenham I am not an expert.)
Absolutely brilliant dark dramedy July 4, 2008
Devyn Quinn (Texas)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
How to describe this deceptively simple film is the hardest place to begin. The plot's fairly simple: Two Irish hit-men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), are sent to Bruges (in Belgium) to wait out the consequences of an assassination gone terribly awry.
The younger of the two, Ray, is bored and angtsy with the whole place. He's got a guilty conscience, having been the bloke who totally screwed up the hit. Ken, older and more sanguine about the whole matter, is the total opposite. He's enjoying the sights and quiet cadence of the city, seeing it as a brief respite from what he knows is a powder keg about to blow up in both their faces.
Without giving away key plot points (all brilliantly revealed as the beginning of the end begins to play out toward its tragic conclusion), all I can say is WOW! Though I have never been a huge Colin Farrell fan, I found the actor to be an absolute revelation. The man can actually act, excellently conveying Ray's guilty conscience with a manic, twitchy angst that practically sets the screen on fire. When Ray's mistake is finally revealed in all its heartbreaking glory, Farrell manages to portray Ray's guilt and attempt at redemption in a scene that awes as well as chills the viewer. This is definitely an Oscar caliber performance, and one would hope the actor will continue to make such smart choices in future roles. The fact that Farrell gets to use his actual Irish accent is definitely a plus for the character. His Ray is a charming, annoying, childish, totally screwed up nut about to crack.
Gleeson, too, is equally convincing in his quiet, calm portrayal. His Ken, world weary and tried of the whole business of death, nevertheless knows he's got to pull back his shoulders and soldier on--even if it means he has to face the bad end of a gun himself from mob boss, Harry (an excellent Ralph Feinnes channeling an evil more vicious than even Lord Voldemort). Harry's riff on the Uzi he is offered by a gun supplier is hilarious, as is Ray's in run with a racist dwarf, among others as he ambles through Bruges seeking a solace neither drink nor drugs, or even a pretty girl, can offer.
The end for these three men is tragic, but totally fitting. I thoroughly enjoyed In Bruges and watched it several times just to soak in the early subtle clues leading up to Ray's mental meltdown. I admit that I had to watch the film with English subtitles on as I couldn't understand the actor's thick accents, but that wasn't any distraction or detriment.
From the ashes of disaster... July 7, 2008
Keith Zabalaoui (Texas)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I have to come down on the side of those who love this movie. Yes, there is violence, there is racism, there is drug use, and there is LANGUAGE, but honestly, these guys are not Smurfs. They're hired killers for cryin' out loud.
Two assassins are hiding out in Bruges on the orders of of their boss. They've just killed a priest and quite by accident have also killed a young boy in prayer. That scene is brief and shocking, but is 100% required for the rest of the movie to make sense. So they're hiding in Bruges, waiting for the boss to call. And they start to wonder, why Bruges? The answer is surprising on a couple of levels and is typical of what makes this movie different from the rest.
The older assassin is able to spend his time savoring Bruges and coming to love it. The younger one never will and seems to enjoy finding new ways to insult the medieval town.
And then the call comes and then the boss comes and all hell breaks loose. But even then, the movie has style and a humanity that sets it apart from the rest. The ending can be described in one word - Fellini. Except it's completely understandable.
As I said, I really liked this film. The language was appropriate to the characters, the violence was necessary for the story, and the comedy was dark and funny. But do keep in mind that it is British and British comedy is not for everyone. Fortunately, I was reared on it.
Such a great movie. July 7, 2008
Rebecca (Minnetonka, MN)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Only Colin Farrell can make the words fu*#ing cun+ sound so hot. If you are easily offended by language, this movie is not for you. If you can appreciate it as an artform, like I do, then see this.
Guns, hot assassins, hookers, midgets... Bruges... what's not to love?
Amazing, but not what I expected August 15, 2008
Amy E. Hawthorne (Jamaica Plain, MA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Given that people tend to compare this to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, I was expecting a light, farcical caper. It's not. It's dark and surreal and takes a hard look at guilt and redemption. It also happens to have clever british blokes, lots of criminals, and strange coincidences that move the plot along. And beautiful scenery. Definitely worth a watch.
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