4/5 Excellent Modern Drama
  by Andrew Desmond (Neutral Bay, NSW Australia)
"In Bruges" was an unexpectedly pleasurable film. Its title really gives nothing away as to the film's contents. Bruges, a wonderfully maintained medieval town in Belgium, serves as the backdrop for European gangster genre film with a slowly moving but compelling pace and an exciting denouement.

The essence of the story is that two Irish hired killers are sent to Bruges by their English boss to "lie low" after a botched killing in England. The killing of a priest has also caused the inadvertent death of a child. To the boss, this is unforgivable. Indeed, it is revealed that the only reason for sending his underlings to Bruges is that so they can have a pleasant holiday before the bungling killer is, himself, killed. When this task is also bungled, the boss, played by Ralph Fiennes, comes to Bruges to do the task himself. No more failures by incompetent staff.

I'll say no more about the plot for fear of giving away too much. However, there are fine acting performances by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as the killers. There is also a captivating role played by newcomer Clemence Poesy as the love interest to Colin Farrell. This girl is beautiful and excellent in her role.

"In Bruges" will probably fail to gain a wider audience as it is deemed to be "art house". So often, this is the kiss of death for a film. It seems to imply no action and, therefore, no interest. This is not the case with "In Bruges". Guns and death form part of the story. However, this is not to suggest that the film is a Hollywood action film. Far from it. "In Bruges" is simply a very good modern drama with a number of fine individual performances.


5/5 Dark Humour, Violence & Gore, Self-Sacrifice & Freindship All In One Very Original Movie!!
  by MUZIK4THAPEOPLE!! (Orlando, FL)
I first saw this movie late one night/early morning on HBO
and was enthralled in it the entire time!
I love a good independent film which strays off the beaten path,
yet in it's originality, doesn't lose or alienate with it's desire to be different.
A lot of times, indies rely too much on trying to shock and be esoteric that they
loose focus and just run haywire!---Well, this wasn't the case with "IN BRUGES"!
The one thing you may or may not have a problem with is the very thick irish brogue
that both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson speak in during this film, but then they
are playing very working class lower level irish hitmen who work for the London syndicate.
Alot of the humour is very british and irish, but still translates well I think.
Gleeson plays a more seasoned, world-weary hitman who has a no miss/no mess reputation
in his dubious line of work. Farrell plays a gruff, hot-headed, quicksilver younger hitman
who does things more off the cuff than Gleeson's more methodical and through character does!
This dynamic adds to the friction and alot of the darkly comic moments in this film.
The two are an odd couple of sorts who constantly bicker & banter, but respect each
other as much as two murderous criminals can.
They have an older brother/younger brother relationship.

Well, the two are comissioned to a "job" that goes horribly wrong and
starts a chain of unfortunate events that takes place in the unlikely
city of Bruges, Belgium. Bruges is known as a beautiful bohemian type city
in Belgium, which prides itself on being one of the most intact (architecturally)
european cities dating back to the dark ages.
Gleeson and Farrell find themselves reluctantly exiled there after the fouled hit,
awaiting further instructions from their BOSS, ruthlessly and cunningly
played by the great Ralph Fiennes, who gives a darkly chilling yet funny
(in some parts) performance in this ensemble film.
While they wait to hear further instructions, Gleeson and Farrell encounter the
very friendly but quirky townsfolk of Bruges, which add moments
of levity to offset the graphic violence in some places throughout the film.
Anyway, the order comes down from THE BOSS and it's not an easy pill to swallow
for Gleeson, and from there the film takes on a poignant, tragic, yet ultimately
triumphant turn that will have you clapping at the end, I promise.
Even though it will be an ending that you don't expect. (-:
I give this movie 5 stars for it's originality, great writing,
believable acting, dark humour and overall entertainment value!
A worthwhile addition to your DVD collection!



4/5 Quirky, dark satire
  by magellan (Santa Clara, CA)
I enjoyed this movie and thought it was excellent, although it's not without its flaws. But then, how many movies are perfect? I didn't mind the violence some have objected to or the frequent use of the "f" word; after all, as someone pointed out, these are hit men and not choir boys. If that sort of profanity offends you then you probably need to stick to "I Love Lucy" and "Nancy Drew" reruns.

I found the movie quirky, funny, and even clever--perhaps a bit too self-consciousnessly clever in its attempt to knit so many diverse story threads into one cloth. The movie occasionally gets bogged down as a result in some side stories that could have been omitted, but I didn't mind that. There's enough entertainment between the quirky cast of oddball characters (which, besides the two hit men, include a racist dwarf), the fine acting by the two leads, the beautiful setting of Bruges (which I've visited and can vouch for as to its beauty), and the semi-demented dialog, that you're usually not bored.

The story line has been told so many times that I won't reprise it here, except to say that although the two hit men characters have been compared to the famous Travolta and Jackson duo in "Pulp Fiction," in fact they couldn't be more different. In contrast to the super cool, slick hit guys in that movie, these are a couple of quirky, neurotic, bumbling, sort of lovable thugs with enough weighty existential angst for a post-modern novel. The one similarity is the verbose dialog between the two main characters.

The movie is a bit schizoid in that the last half gets ever more surrealistic and fantastic, especially in regard to the final scene, whose outcome as shown is very unlikely (I won't say anymore so as not to provide any spoilers). But then, I saw the movie as a purely entertaining dark satire about two hit men whose lives go completely to sh_t in a matter of minutes during a botched job and then are left flapping trying to pick up the pieces, rather than a realistic portrayal of how such a situation would probably turn out.

The negative reviews here often panned the movie because of its lack of realism; but, and I could be wrong, I think the movie is really a more than competent satire and send up of what has come to be called the "hit man comedy." If you keep that in mind and don't take it too seriously you might enjoy the movie's many strengths and not get too bent about its flaws, which aren't that serious and can be overlooked since the rest of the movie is strong.

5/5 Great Independent Film!
  by Helen (United States)
After personally spending a weekend in Bruges, it was suggested that I see the movie "In Bruges". Curious and wanting to see the extraordinary views again, I purchased the film. I was not only pleased with the great views of Bruges...it was a really GOOD movie. You will get caught up in the characters search for moral grounds, albeit while working as professional hitmen! (has strong language and violence)

4/5 Hilarious film marred by terrible trailer
  by One-Line Film Reviews (Easton, MD)
The Bottom Line:

In Bruges is a hilariously-written and acted movie about two incredibly different Irish hitmen hiding out in a Belgian tourist city that's far far better than the previews indicated; with perfect comic performances by Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes, this is a very good movie whose ending admittedly wraps things up a tad too neatly but remains very watchable and very good.

3/4