“In Bruges” we trust.
This high-quality British crime drama is just the kind of intense little surprise we moviegoers need to help us make it through the inevitable fallow period to come.
February, March and April comprise a notorious box office wasteland between the fall’s prestige releases and summer’s event blockbusters in which Hollywood tends to dump its worst genre detritus on an undemanding public. So,for respite, we look to small-scale indie jewels with unflinching violence and complex characters such as today’s involving actors’ showcase. In it, the blackly charming trio of Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell and Ralph Fiennes tell a contemporary tale of honor among killers against a magically medieval European backdrop.
That place is Bruges, Belgium. The secluded tourist destination is an architecturally preserved idyll of a fairy-tale past, which makes it a delicious contrast to the slowly ratcheted-up levels of politically incorrect gallows humor and brutal action to come.
Edgy Irish playwright Martin McDonagh makes fun of fat Americans and cranky dwarfs — among others — in his debut as a film director and screenwriter. His offbeat wit lightens the eventually lethal proceedings and humanizes the adventures of sympathetic if deeply flawed protagonists Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson).
Per instructions of their enigmatic mob boss Harry (Fiennes), the hired guns are hiding out in Bruges after a bungled London hit job in which a little boy was mistakenly caught in their crossfire. The vicious “godfather” follows a strict code of right and wrong, ironically enough. So it won’t be long before Harry will order the veteran Ken to rub out his rookie mate Ray for perpetrating the taboo mistake of even accidentally murdering a child.
In the meantime, while Ken enjoys the enchanting sights before the directive comes down, the randy urban bloke Ray is just bored in the beautiful but very sleepy village of Bruges. But soon Ray meets a lovely local drug dealer (Clemence Poesy). Their decidedly weird budding love affair — along with Farrell’s droll portrayal — raises the stakes for the audience as Ray’s life becomes in jeopardy.
The wonderful Irish character actor Gleeson, most recently known for supporting appearances in “Beowulf” and the last two “Harry Potter” installments, offers another amusingly gruff and imposing performance here. When Gleeson’s character decides to risk everything for Ray, it sets up a fantastic showdown of guns and banter between this huge Gaelic bear of an actor and a theatrical master of cruel finesse. Fiennes, who came to fame as the quintessential Nazi sadist, layers today’s antagonist with both fury and a hilarious sense of frustration.
Their thespian distinction makes a visit “In Bruges” a real trip.
‘In Bruges’
****
» Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes
» Director: Martin McDonagh
» Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language and some drug use
» Running time: 107 minutes
