DVD Review: “In Bruges”
Rating: 82
It’s hard to imagine the Belgian Tourist Office being thrilled with “In Bruges,” a magnificently coarse, pitch-black comedy about hitmen hiding out in what is portrayed as the most boring city in Europe. Playwright Martin McDonagh, who won an Oscar for his short film “Six Shooter,” makes his feature-length debut with a film that doesn’t stop with its host city — by the time the credits roll, nearly everyone has a shot at being offended, so if widely cast insults and buckets of blood are your cup of Stella Artois, “In Bruges” is the ideal destination.
Experienced killer Ken (Brendan Gleeson) takes Ray (Colin Farrell) into hiding after the first-time hitman’s debut assignment goes terribly wrong. The two Brits wind up in Bruges (pronounced “Broozh”), a backwater with tons of Medieval architecture but little else of interest. Ray grouses interminably until he runs into Chloe (Clemence Poesy), a gorgeous local who might be as crooked as he is. But Chloe is mainly a distraction: Ray is destined for very bad things thanks to the designs of Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes), a crime boss back in Britain with the worst onscreen temper since Ben Kingsley’s Don Logan in “Sexy Beast.”
Never mind the Belgians — “In Bruges” spares no one, all the way to its bitter, bitter end. But it isn’t always a laugh-a-minute at the expense of humanity. Farrell imbues Ray with a true sense of desolation — that botched hit was enough to scar even the most callous killer — and Gleeson is typically great as Ray’s consoling father figure. See “In Bruges” for many reasons, but a key one is Fiennes’ scenery-chewing performance as “’Arry.” The British heartthrob who became Lord Voldemort seems to be relishing his bad guy streak, and it comes through with “In Bruges.”
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