In Bruges is a film in which a plot summary or synopsis would not do it justice. Not only that but it would be detrimental to a potential viewers desire to watch. The story is filled with a complex cast of characters: a midget in a danish film, a drug dealing love interest, her skinhead ex boyfriend, a yogi arms dealer, and a mob boss who cares deeply for his children.
With such an eclectic cast of characters it's no surprise that movie is quite comedic. Collin Farrell's character Ray, is blunt and unapologetic, often leading him into sticky situations. It's funny, this cocky Irish hitman making fun of big Americans. The dialogue in this film truly stands out and creates characters that are interesting and believable.
The acting is terrific, the largely British cast does a great job with a massive script and character arcs. Farrell and his love interest, played by Clémence Poésy, have great chemistry and do a lot with their few scenes together.
There's a moment in the film, as the camera tracks a trail of blood, that I wondered how we got here. Not in a plot sense, but in a viewer sense. How can Martin McDonagh tell a story that is so foreign to my in setting and conflict, in which I can be so emotionally absorbed? The answer is not something hard to define but it's in the characters. They act in such a way that the whole story makes sense. They are strong, their dialogue is believable, and they stick to their morals.
It's all this that creates a movie that does not apologize for what it is and takes the viewer on magical journey to this strange place, In Bruges.
