Some movies come from out of nowhere to surprise and delight you, as well as re-instill a degree of hope for the medium as well. Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges did that for me when I saw it earlier this year in Chicago and I eagerly awaited its release here so that I might spread the word about the discovery I had made. But alas, the film was never released locally, part of a blundering campaign from Universal Studios who obviously didn’t know how to market this existential gem disguised as farce. (When I mentioned the film to a colleague of mine recently she said she thought it looked “slapsticky” from the trailer.) One of the reasons the publicity arm at Universal didn’t know what to do with the film is because it’s uncommonly smart. That’s probably why it bombed in its limited run as well, as it is common knowledge audiences don’t want to think when they go to the movies. Cinema managers hate it as well because then they have to deal with patrons moaning, “Brain hurts!” like the Frankenstein monster as they wander out of the theater.
This tale of two hit men on the lam sounds like nothing more than a rote action flick but McDonagh injects heady moral themes concerning honor and justice into the mix interlaced with allusions to religious beliefs and doctrines that have an impact on each of the main characters. Ken (Brendan Gleeson) is the more sophisticated of the two assassins, a killer who has seen his share of carnage and while he’s a bit of melancholy about him, he’s a rather pleasant, upbeat guy as killer’s-for-hire go. His protégée Ray (Colin Farrell) is another story all together. Impulsive, immature and sloppy, his actions on their last job has led the pair to take a forced vacation to Bruges, a fairy tale land in Belgium. While Ken drinks in the historical and religious sights, Ray only gets excited when he discovers a movie being made that features midgets and a comely assistant (Clémence Poésy) who he hopes to shag.
When their boss Harry (a wonderfully crude Ralph Fiennes) calls Ken to tell him what their next job is, the film takes a turn inwards as the task before these two men will force them to question their loyalties to one another and their moral code. Early in the film while at a museum, the two friends examine an artist’s grotesque rendering of judgment day, replete with visions of people ascending to heaven, being damned to hell or sent to purgatory to await their fate. It becomes apparent as the movie progresses that Bruges is purgatory for the three main characters and that the decisions they make over the next few days will determine the fate of their lives. (McDonagh brilliantly doubles back to the painting at the end, bringing it to life and casting his characters in it.)
While I make this sound like a dour study of existential angst, it is all pulled off with a sense of enthusiasm that sweeps you away. McDonagh and his cast wallow in the sadism and corruption of their characters, gleefully reveling in the coarse language they use like a weapon, brandishing guns with abandon and abusing all who stand in their way. This is black comedy at its finest executed with brains and vigor. If you’re nostalgic for the sorts of films Quentin Tarantino used to make before he was so concerned about being “Quentin Tarantino,” In Bruges is the anecdote as it captures the violent lunacy of Pulp Fiction but contains a far more cathartic and rewarding message of redemption.
The three principals are all very good here and it is impossible to think of better casting in these roles. These veterans play off each other as if they’ve been working for years, adding a depth to the character’s relationships that makes the film’s final moments resonate with poignancy. More than anything else, In Bruges stands as calling card for McDonagh who, with his first feature film, has served notice that a major new cinematic talent has arrived and deserves watching. Here’s hoping he doesn’t get swept away by the cult of celebrity or he might find himself in his own sort of purgatory.
In Bruges is playing this weekend at the Normal Theatre at 209 North St., Normal, Ill. It is also available on home video.
Runtime: 1h 41min — Rated R — Comedy/Drama