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Of all the films that
attempt to mimic the genius behind Pulp Fiction’s triumph,
for the first time, perhaps ever, director Martin McDonagh has actually
accomplished the task with success. In early reviews it was unable
to escape comparison to Pulp Fiction, simply because of the main
characters, but the tone and plot are completely fresh – more
sincere, cynical and suspenseful. In Bruges examines the lives of
hitmen who have complex minds, ideas and relationships much like
the aforementioned dark comedy, but adds its own unique blend of
brash dialogue, gratifyingly twisted characters and a wondrously
atmospheric setting of a medieval Belgium city.
Two hitmen, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are
sent to the most well-preserved medieval town in all of Belgium:
Bruges. Their assignment is simply to wait for a phone call from
boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) who is upset at Ray’s recent
hit, the murder of a priest that went terribly wrong and ended
in the death of a little boy. Ray becomes depressed and anxious
and desperately seeks alleviation from his sins. Fidgety and antsy,
he discovers a beautiful girl, Chloe, on a film set and courts
her over the few days they stay in Bruges. Ken, on the other hand,
is calm and complacent and relishes the joys of sightseeing and
the atmosphere of the tourist trap that is Bruges. But as they
wait for instructions from the boss, and Ray gets wrapped up in
drugs and thoughts of suicide, the two must make difficult decisions
on following orders and evaluating their relationships. |
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While some of the ideas
are either borrowed or elaborated on, such as the midget dream sequence
ala Tom DiCillo’s “Living in Oblivion”, what works
incredibly well is the chemistry between Gleeson and Farrell, and
the dark-humored dialogue that surrounds these characters. The two
leads are absolutely hilarious at all the right times, and yet are
able to drastically switch to drama during the daring twists in
which the audience is reminded of the violence and tragedy that
surrounds hired killers. Despite the constant bickering and witty
exchanges that pepper the various oddities encountered in Bruges,
the sudden violence and graphic bloodshed jolts the viewer out of
the comforting moments of calm.
In Bruges may have difficulty removing itself from constant comparison to Tarantino’s style of storytelling, but the cinematography boasts a more polished feel with the atmospheric, noirish look of the dark and damp medieval town with its rainy streets and shadowy alleys. Together, along with the superb acting (from actors who usually tend to disappoint) and vividly rendered character development, the film manages to be thrillingly unique with a more realistic take on sordid lives and apocryphal self-righteousness. Academy Award-winning director Martin McDonagh expands upon the idea that hired killers lead intriguing lives replete with complex feelings and genuine morals. From karate-skilled Chinese lollipop guys to symbolic mouse-headed death-dealers, In Bruges tinges every word with dark humor and sarcasm and fleshes out multi-layer examinations on life and death with the most unlikely protagonists. - Mike Massie |
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Just wanted to let you guys know this movie was directed by Martin McDonagh