Film Reviews

In Bruges

• Rating:
• Director: Martin McDonagh
• Starring: Brendan Gleeson
• Details: UK / Belgium / 107mins (16).

After his debut hit goes badly, suicidal Ray (Farrell) and culture-loving Ken (Gleeson) are sent to Bruges by their quick-tempered boss Harry (Fiennes) to chill out and wait until the hubbub blows over. However, Harry wants Ray and Ken in Bruges for a reason - a reason that only becomes clear when it's too late. The trailer (and the poster) is a little misleading - the comic tone doesn't warn the viewer of the depths of darkness the film descends to. That darkness, however, comes with a little implausibility but by that stage, you're on board and are able to accept what's dealt. In Bruges is a darkly comic continent crime caper and all the boxes are ticked with a few surprises - the pockets of violence happen unexpectedly, which is tough to pull off, considering the genre. The leads do the job asked of them, even though Farrell's comic delivery is lacking at times and Gleeson nudges ahead with the best performance. They are almost eclipsed by Fiennes, however, who does his best Michael-Caine-meets-Ben-Kingsley's-Don-Logan and all the laughs he jumps for land on two feet. In Bruges, despite Ray's repeated 'it's a shit hole' will do wonders for the city's tourist board - Bruges looks fantastic with its medieval buildings and canals; even Fiennes' Harry insists that "It's like a fairytale," and he's not wrong, while cinematographer Eigil Bryld (The King, Becoming Jane) probably couldn't believe his luck - he could just turn on the camera and point it in any direction. Martin McDonagh delivers a more-than-promising debut and could very well be a big name for the future.

Review by Gavin Burke