In Bruges - A Review (because all the puns for this film are so 2000 and late)

My first official film review! On the internet! On our blog! Ok, maybe not so official, but still paralyzingly exciting. I’ve been a little bit more hesitant than the other judges to throw this up (proverbially) on here. Nevertheless, shall we? For my first feat: an analysis of In Bruges.

The film centers around two hitmen who are stuck in (spoiler alert) Bruges, Belgium. After Ray’s (Colin Farrell) first foray into the industry ends horribly, Ken (Brendan Gleeson) takes him to Bruges on the instructions of their tyrannical boss, Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes). Without ruining anything, I’ll simply say that they’re sent to wait for the considerable fallout from Ray’s actions.

As far as waiting is concerned, it seems that writer and director Martin McDonagh’s theatre roots show themselves. Like an updated Vladimir and Estragon, Ray and Ken’s verbal tousles quickly progress from the mundanely comedic to questions of redemption and the after-life. A sight-seeing expedition, headed by Ken and followed by an unwilling Ray, takes them to a church that’s supposed to house some of Jesus’ blood. This seems rather significant, given what Ray has done. So Ken gets quite worked-up explaining that the blood is said to have turned back into liquid at various times of great stress in history. He says that most people touch the blood, to which Ray replies, “do I hafta?” Ken responds “do you hafta? Of course you don’t hafta. It’s Jesus’ fucking blood isn’t it? Of course you don’t fucking hafta!”

The glorious thing about In Bruges is that absurdist comedy goes hand in hand with heavy philosophical discussions. In the same breath Ray cries about the moral consequences of his actions then marvels at midgets. Nothing is clearly defined as good or bad in In Bruges. Everything means two things; there is no singular definition or perspective that the film argues.

The clearest example of this is the way McDonagh tackles the big question that’s posed: is redemption in this life possible? The act Ray commits prior to Bruges is heinous. It’s possibly one of the worst things a person can ever do. Yet there is no clear moral way to respond to it. The characters then represent the different schools of thought: Ken, who brought Ray into the hit-man trade, is convinced Ray is still young and salvageable, while Harry believes he must bear the consequences of his actions.

Bruges itself means two different things to Ray and Harry. Harry looks on it fondly as a fairy-tale town, the last place he was happy as a child, while Ray thinks it the asshole of Europe. I’m not going to give away too much, so I will simply say that this becomes epically meaningful when more of the plot is revealed.

One of the few things I recall from university is the idea that the parts in any true work of art are all necessary. Nothing should be extraneous, nothing should be purposeless. In Bruges is one of the best examples of my dimly remembered idea. It’s rather miraculous to see how capably McDonagh makes all the sub-plots and minor characters mean something. What I thought were throw-away jokes, placed simply for laughs, added more meaning to the plot.

Also, I have to say that the casting director deserves a Peabody. I would never have connected Colin Farrell to the role of Ray. Yet after watching it, I can’t stop thinking about his portrayal. This could easily have become a trite caricature of an asshole on the road to redemption. But Farrell’s emotional restraint and amazing comedic timing was, frankly, surprising after the list of shit movies he’s been in. Gleeson was a solid straight-man; I would expect nothing less. And Ralph Fiennes, to use the common vernacular, brought it. His performance reminded me of Peter Capaldi’s character, Malcolm Tucker, in the film “In the Loop” and the T.V show, “The Thick of It.” (For those who aren’t in the loop, that comparison is meant as a compliment of the highest order.) Even the supporting actors, Clemence Poesy and Thekla Reutern were spot on in their delivery. They made me want to stay ‘in Bruges’ for much longer. YEAH I DID, I WROTE THAT THING.

(Let me say it first, I don’t know how to conclude this. However, maybe there is redemption in this life, and the next review shall conclude properly.)