I saw In Bruges on its theatrical release in 2008 and recently watched it again on a plane flight. It is highly recommended! Written and directed by Martin McDonagh it is a very, very black comedy (the trailer below overemphasizes the comedy to the detriment of its serious side, and the serious violence of the film). The leads, two British criminal sent to the preserved medieval city in Belgium on a mysterious assignment by their boss (Ralph Fiennes) are played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. I'm not a big fan of Farrell's but he is splendid and touching here. Gleeson is, as always, excellent.
Bruges itself is the brunt of many of the film's jokes but like the film it stands for something more serious - Purgatory, where the two characters are stuck as they await instructions, or is it a final judgement?
The more serious themes of the film have some similarity to a movie written and directed by Martin's brother, John Michael McDonagh, Calvary, also starring Gleeson who is magnificent in his searing portrayal of an Irish priest who shows what it means to truly be a priest. Calvary is one of the most moving films I've ever seen; you can read my review here. And once you've watched In Bruges you can view this video discussing the theological aspects of the movie.
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