David Mankellow

In Bruges

I fear that the site has become rather sport heavy over the last couple of days so I thought i’d point all 3 of my readers toward an awesome film I saw for about the 5^th time over the weekend – In Bruges.

I’d been eager to watch it again ever since I went to Bruges a month or so ago! But in watching the film once again for nostalgia purposes i’d forgotten just how good that film is. It’s got all that you would want in a low budget British movie.

The film surrounds two hitmen that are on what they think is a sabbatical trip out of the way in Bruges. Ray, played by Colin Farrell, is the younger, inexperienced hitman who’s made a mistake on his first “job”. As a result he and his partner Ken, played by Brenden Gleeson, are sent to Bruges by their boss Harry, played by Ralph Feinnes. In a short space of time the film clearly displays that there is a little more to it and that the characters, especially Ray, are more troubled than you would be led to believe.

The film is very funny in parts but this in no way makes it a comedy. It is a film about morality, loyalty, conscience and the overall consensus of principles, even in their line of work.

Other than Phone Booth I’m not a huge fan of Colin Farrell’s films but this is a huge favourite of mine. It’s quirky, well written, beautifully shot in a fantastic backdrop whilst the story is interesting and compelling. The performances are very natural but convincing also. Watching the film makes it seem like it was a breeze to shoot and that for me is a good thing. It doesn’t come across as though they’ve tried their best to make a great film. It looks as though it just naturally happened as a result of good writing, direction, casting and mis en scene. I highly recommend it.

Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★