In Bruges

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 169 of 365 of my year long challenge Week 25: Luck o' the Irish History may not quite line up with that phrase but hell, they do alright with their films. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Bruges is easily one of my favourite comedies, even one of my favourite movies, ever. It's dark, twisted, smart and filled with heart. Simply, it knows how to mix the good, the bad and the ugly and leave me not only laughing but with some real thoughts too. Strictly speaking, it may not be Irish but you'd be hard pressed to argue it doesn't count. When hitmen Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and Ray (Colin Farrell) are sent to Bruges for a couple of weeks, it becomes a fairytale holiday for one and torturous purgatory for the other. Running from the colossal cock-up of the younger hitman, the pair must wait for Harry's (Ralph Fiennes) call to see what comes next. Of the many things that In Bruges does right, and it's one of the many things that makes it so appealing, is its atmosphere and tone. The film wastes no time in coddling the audience. Instead, we're treated to the dark humour of the film and its pathos straight away. There are no fancy credits or extravagant set pieces, just two men talking. For the most part, that's all there is a lot of talking. In Bruges doesn't skimp on the violence but it keeps that for impact. No, In Bruges with its offhand attitude and cynicism drips with menace as our "heroes" wait, wonder and bicker. Bruges may be a fairytale town but it feels claustrophobic when viewed alongside our odd-couple hitmen. A quick aside - I did get to spend a little time in Bruges, long after I'd first seen this. It's a beautiful place but it's near impossible to see it without thinking of this film as you wander its medieval streets and canals. Not a big problem, but hearing Fiennes, Farrell and Gleeson in your head as you think about it really makes for something unique. Fewer films have been as perfectly cast as this. Colin Farrell absolutely proves himself here after a string of high-profile disasters. The man is surprisingly good in these small films and he becomes our guilt-ridden hitman with natural ease. Slipping from almost annoying arseholery to crippling guilt to twitchy, nervous ball of mania Farrell is on point. Likewise, Brendan Gleeson is the perfect straight man to Farrell's buffoon. Gleeson is all heart and soul and wisdom as he tries to protect and even save the boy from a life hard lived. It's all starts in the eyes for these two men before breaking onto their wonderfully expressive faces. On the flipside, Fiennes crime boss Harry is the rigid Englishman with a code of honour. He's a volatile joy to watch and hear but there's not the same easy openness to him as with the others. That said, I can think of no one else I'd rather see scream about inanimate objects. Through it all, In Bruges constantly piles on the chaos, randomness and comedy of errors until all the little threads come together. From one bad encounter to the next, the film is almost gleeful about how ridiculous it can make things and for some this may feel like the film overcooks itself, tries to hard and becomes too much but I can't imagine the film being nearly as entertaining, nor as memorable without this. From jobs gone wrong to medieval fairytales to midgets, drugs, skinheads, Americans and more, In Bruges has no issue with throwing all it can at the wall and making it stick. One can't watch In Bruges without also praising Martin McDonagh's brilliant dialogue and Carter Burwell's music. While the former sets the pace and humour of the film, the latter sets the mood. The dialogue is sharp, witty and as delightfully sweary as it can get but you fall in love with it from the start. Similarly, the music can be a jolt as it sets in with a surprising amount of menace behind it. It's a fabulous theme that plays throughout In Bruges but we all know shit's about to hit the fan when it starts, the only thing to guess about is how. Any shortcomings that In Bruges may have are easy for me to overlook and flat out ignore. I like the film too much. In Bruges may not be the kind of film for everyone but with its dark humour, twisted wit and thoughtful depths, it's a perfect mix for the right kind of person. In this case, me.