“I start too many of these throw back posts with “”I really should know this movie better”” somewhere in the first paragraph, but no really, I really should know this movie better. This quirky and subversive little dark comedy earned an Oscar nod for screenplay in 2009 and won star Colin Farrell a much deserved Golden Globe that cemented his redemption from being a Hollywood bad boy and signaled the start of a more respectable career and lifestyle. But first he got a chance to play just bad enough, with a cheeky twinkle in his eye.
Farrell appears alongside Brendan Gleeson as a pair of European hitmen hiding out after a job gone wrong. They’ve been ordered by their boss to wait in the quaint little Belgian town of Bruges until he calls them. Gleeson tries to enjoy the town while Farrell is having none of it.
I love the tone of this movie. It’s technically considered a comedy (hence the Golden Globe success), but it’s not exactly a laugh fest. Instead it’s sort of the type of underworld picture you’d expect from the likes of someone like Scorsese or Guy Ritchie, except there’s a good sprinkling of sarcasm and clever one liners. The comedy in the underworld kind of mirrors the fish out of water feeling of the hitmen in Bruges. I keep finding myself chuckling pretty much every time Farrell opens his mouth, and he really sells it like a pro as he says some completely off the wall and/or unexpected things. I’m glancing thru the quotes on IMDB trying to cull a few examples, but they’re all either inappropriate and/or need context. Guess you’ll just hafta watch it for yourself. Until then, I’ll leave you with the trailer.”