Analyzing in Bruges 2008

 

                                                                       (Credit Blueprint Pictures)

    When I went on my European trip last year, one of the places I was most excited to visit was Bruges. The town is highly picturesque and beautiful, but I mostly enjoyed traveling through all the locations that appeared in one of my favorite films, In Bruges. This film is meaningful to me because I relate a lot to the character of Ray. While I'm not a hitman who accidentally commits a terrible atrocity, I connected a lot with his personality and style, especially as a high school sophomore when I watched the film. 

    Welcome back to Hidden Gems, where we go over movies that, despite not getting the traction of big Hollywood blockbusters, are still outstanding and worth watching and analyzing. This week, we are reviewing the 2008 dark comedy film In Bruges, written and directed by Martin McDonagh. The film follows Ray, played by Colin Farrel, who tragically kills a child on a mission to assassinate a priest. Ray is sent out with Ken, played by Brendan Gleeson, to the small town of Bruges to lay low until their boss, Harry, played by Ralph Fiennes, can figure out what to do with Ray. 

    At the film's heart, it discusses the idea of good and evil, introducing a range of characters far from good people and an iconic crime duo. Yet, they all find themselves searching for redemption. Ray and Ken constantly discuss their morality, the attitudes of others, and, especially, the city. Instantly, you can tell that the two characters have different viewpoints on life. Ken enjoys the city's relaxing atmosphere and is unbothered by everything. In contrast, Ray cannot stop complaining and rambling about everything that bothers him about himself and others. 

     Roger Ebert describes the setting of the movie by stating The film does an interesting thing with Bruges. It shows us a breathtakingly beautiful city without ever seeming to be a travelogue. It uses the city as a way to develop the characters. Despite utilizing it as a backdrop it almost becomes the cause of many of the characters decisions and fleshes out the characters nature. The character's attitude toward the city is discussed extensively throughout the film. Ken and Harry find the place fabulous, magical, and atmospheric; on the other hand, Ray perceives Bruges exclusively as a prison, due to the extreme guilt he experiences. It also doesn't hurt that the film beautifully depicts the city. 

     The most outstanding aspects of the film are the script and the acting. The film is funny, with sharp wit and humor, which all the actors nail. The film is amusing but dark as well. It deals with plenty of severe and depressing issues, and the script does an excellent way of treating those themes seriously. The film is also rich in symbolism and ideas. Ray constantly tries to convince himself he's horrible and deserves to pay for what he did. Harry persistently tries to impose himself as a man much better than he is, and Ken and Bruges serve as the mediators. Bruges also plays a role as purgatory. 

McDonagh implements humor, which will make you laugh despite the subject matter not being very laughable. All the character's storylines come together in such an innovative way that it seems inevitable. The ending appears determined by personalities and upbringing rather than plot requirements.