In Bruges

Looking back to last year, In Bruges cropped up heavily in polls of the years best. It was Martin McDonagh's debut film after a successful career as playwright/director, and he got off to a good start.

The stars are Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, both revered Irish actors who have broken into Hollywood, in their own way. The two play a pair of hitman sent off to the Belgian city of Bruges, in waiting of instructions from their mysterious paymaster. The audience is not told of why they are here, nor what is expected of them. I recently re-watched The Third Man, Carol Reed's classic noir film. Both films are set in beautiful but flawed European cities and hinge on the enigma of an unknown third party. of course, In Bruges cannot conceivably match the heady heights of that film, but it's impressive enough not to pale against it.

It is not a typical buddy movie, nor could be classed simply as a thriller, though it has claims on both genres. The relationship and banter between the two hitmen is sparky and witty, like Pulp Fiction but with real characters instead of cartoons. Like Pulp Fiction, In Bruges mixes humour with unflinching violence and gratuitous profanity. But McDonagh actually carves out some humanity in these characters, and later on in the film we see the characters having to take on some serious moral issues.

There is also a bit of conflict between the finesse of the city, it's culture and the screenplays distinctly un-PC take on the modern world. Farrell's character frequently refers to Bruges as a "shithole" (something the city officials didn't take to kindly to!), but like Gleeson's character we cannot help but marvel at the pebbled streets, the arched bridges and grand cathedrals sensitively captured in lingering montages. The city is described as a 'fairytale world'- the sky is bleached out in otherworldly whiteness giving it an ethereal feel.

So, the film features a great, quotable script and an exciting mix of violence and humour, but there's also a few emotional bombshells thrown into the mix as well. The finale, though I'll try not to give any spoilers away, is hard hitting but touching. My only qualm with the ending is that I think a gradual realisation or revelation is much more rewarding than a split second jolt, which the finale erred on the side of. But this is only a small niggle in a fine, unpredictable British film.

8/10