In Bruges

In Bruges
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Martin McDonagh
Written by	Martin McDonagh
Produced by	Graham Broadbent Peter Czernin
Starring	Colin Farrell Brendan Gleeson Ralph Fiennes Clémence Poésy Jérémie Renier
Cinematography	Eigil Bryld
Edited by	Jon Gregory
Music by	Carter Burwell
Production companies	Blueprint Pictures Film4 Productions Focus Features Scion Films
Distributed by	Focus Features (United States) Universal Pictures(United Kingdom)
Release dates	January 17, 2008(2008-01-17)(Sundance Film Festival) February 8, 2008(2008-02-08)(United States) April 18, 2008(2008-04-18)(United Kingdom)
Running time	107 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Box office	$34.5 million

In Brugesis a 2008blackcomedy-dramacrime thriller filmdirected and written byMartin McDonaghin his feature-length debut. It starsColin FarrellandBrendan Gleesonas two London-based Irish hitmen hiding inBruges,withRalph Fiennesas their boss. The film is set and was filmed inBruges,Belgium.

In Brugeswas the opening night film of the2008 Sundance Film Festivaland opened in limited release in the United States on 8 February 2008. It garnered a box office of $34.5 million.

For his performance in the film, Farrell won theGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy,while Gleeson was nominated in the same category.McDonagh won theBAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplayand was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Plot

Carrying out orders, inexperiencedhitmanRay shoots a priest duringconfession,but accidentally kills a young boy who is also in church. He and his mentor Ken are sent toBrugesby their employer Harry, where they are to await further instructions. Ken finds the city beautiful and relaxing, while Ray is bored and hates it.

They chance upon a film shoot involving adwarfactor, which amuses Ray. Ray is attracted to Chloë, a local drug dealer moonlighting as aproduction assistant.He takes her to a restaurant, where he gets into an argument with a Canadian couple (mistaking them for Americans) and punches them. Chloë takes Ray to her apartment where they begin to have sex, but her ex-boyfriend Eirik appears and threatens Ray with a handgun. Ray effortlessly disarms the small-time criminal and fires the gun, loaded withblanks,in Eirik's face, blinding him in one eye. Chloë admits that she and Eirik rob tourists, but insists she had told Eirik that Ray was not a target. As Chloë drives Eirik to the hospital, Ray pockets the gun and helps himself to a handful of live rounds as well as Chloë's stash of drugs. He and Ken spend a debauched night with the dwarf actor, Jimmy, who takescocaineand rants about a comingwar between blacks and whites.

Harry calls Ken and orders him to kill Ray, on the principle that killing a child, even accidentally, is unforgivable. With a handgun supplied by Harry's local contact Yuri, Ken tracks Ray to a park and reluctantly prepares to kill him. Ray, however, distraught at his killing of the boy, prepares to kill himself with Eirik's loaded gun. Seeing this, Ken stops Ray, informs him of Harry's order and tells him to leave Bruges to have a fresh start. He gives Ray some money and puts him on a train to another city, while confiscating his gun to prevent a furthersuicide attempt.Ken reports the truth back to Harry, who immediately sets out for Bruges, furious at the insubordination. He picks up a gun at Yuri's, and Eirik, Yuri's son, learns of his intention.

Ray's train stops, and the police escort him back to Bruges for attacking the Canadians. Chloë bails him out and the two share a drink on the market square beneath theBelfry of Bruges.Harry spots Ken sitting outside a cafe. As the two have drinks, Harry boasts that if he himself had killed a child, he would have immediately taken his own life. Ken argues that Ray is trying to better himself and deserves a chance atredemption.Harry is not convinced. Ken suggests they ascend the bell tower for a shootout away from bystanders. At the top, Ken says he accepts whatever punishment Harry intends. A conflicted Harry cannot bring himself to kill Ken, so he shoots him in the leg as punishment for not killing Ray. Seeing Ray at the square, Eirik climbs the tower to inform Harry, who is helping Ken down the tower. Ken tries to disarm Harry, who shoots Ken in the neck and rushes down. Bleeding heavily, Ken drags himself back to the top of the tower and jumps into the square. Ray rushes to Ken, who warns him of Harry's arrival just before he dies.

Harry chases Ray to the hotel; Marie, the pregnant owner, refuses Harry entry, even when he draws his gun. To protect the owner and her unborn child, Harry and Ray agree to continue the chase on the canal. Ray, armed with Eirik's loaded gun, jumps onto a passing barge but drops the gun. Harry wounds Ray with a shot from a distance. Ray collapses on the street where Jimmy's film is shooting. Harry catches up and repeatedly shoots Ray. One of the bullets hits Jimmy (costumed as a schoolboy), blowing his head open. Mistakenly believing that he has killed a child, Harry, despite protest from Ray, kills himself. Ray is carried past Chloë, Marie and Eirik into an ambulance. In narration, Ray reflects on the nature ofhell,speculating that it is an eternity in the city of Bruges, and recalls that he really, really hoped he would not die.

Cast

• Colin Farrellas Ray
• Brendan Gleesonas Ken Daley
• Ralph Fiennesas Harry Waters
• Clémence Poésyas Chloë Villette
• Jordan Prenticeas Jimmy
• Thekla Reutenas Marie
• Jérémie Renieras Eirik
• Anna Madeleyas Denise
• Elizabeth Berringtonas Natalie Waters
• Eric Godonas Yuri
• Željko Ivanekas Canadian Man
• Ciarán Hindsas Priest (uncredited)

Cultural references

The plot has similarities toHarold Pinter's 1957 one-act playThe Dumb Waiter.The film also contains many references to the 1973Nicolas RoegfilmDon't Look Now,including the claim by Chloë that the film-within-a-film is almost an homage to it.

When they visit the church, the organist begins playing Bach'sPassacaglia and Fugue in C minor.This music is also played at the beginning of the baptism scene inThe Godfather.

Music

In Bruges: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack albumby Carter Burwell
Released	5 February 2008
Recorded	2007
Genre	Classical Folk
Length	44:08
Label	Lakeshore Records
Carter Burwell chronology
No Country for Old Men (2007) In Bruges: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2008) Burn After Reading (2008)

In Bruges: Original Motion Picture Soundtrackis a soundtrack to the film of the same name, released byLakeshore Recordsand featuring the score ofCarter Burwellas well as additional music found in the film. The soundtrack was released on 5 February 2008 in the United States and Canada.

All music is composed by Carter Burwell, except where noted

Track listing

No.	Title	Performer(s)	Length
1.	"Prologue"		1:17
2.	"Medieval Waters"		1:40
3.	"The Little Dead Boy"		1:46
4.	"St. John the Gambler"	Townes Van Zandt	3:03
5.	"The Last Judgement"		1:52
6.	"View from the Tower"		1:04
7.	"My Suicide Your Homicide"		1:38
8.	"Brandy Alexander"	The Walkmen	2:30
9.	"Save the Next Boy"		1:19
10.	"Ray at the Mirror"		1:19
11.	"Walking Bruges"		0:36
12.	"The Magic Frog"		0:50
13.	"Der Leiermann"	Andreas SchmidtandRudolf Jansen	3:40
14.	"Harry Walks"		1:21
15.	"Dressing for Death"		1:11
16.	"The Kiss Walk Past"		1:04
17.	"On Raglan Road"	The Dubliners	4:15
18.	"Thugs Passing in the Night"		1:13
19.	"Shootout Part 1"		2:10
20.	"When He's Dead"		1:08
21.	"Shootout Part 2"		2:44
22.	"Principles"		1:25
23.	"I Didn't Want to Die"		1:35
24.	"2000 Miles"	The Pretenders	3:38
Total length:			44:08

Release

In Brugeswas released inlimited cinemason 8 February 2008 and opened in 28 theatres in the United States.

Box office

The film opened at No. 25 in the United States with grossing $125,541 on its opening day and $459,575 on its opening weekend, ranking No. 25 with a per theatre average of $16,413.On its second weekend, it was released in 112 theatres and moved up to No. 22, grossing $970,211, with a per theatre average of $8,663.By its third weekend it moved up further still to No. 21 and made $738,318 from 163 theatres, with a $4,530 per-theatre average.It has a current worldwide total lifetime gross of $33,394,440.

Critical response

In Brugesreceived generally positive reviews from critics.Rotten Tomatoesgives the film a score of 84%, based on 210 reviews, with an average rating of 7.40/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Featuring witty dialogue and deft performances,In Brugesis an effective mix of dark comedy and crime thriller elements. "Metacriticgives the film an average score of 67 out of 100, based on 34 critics, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".

Chicago Sun-TimescriticRoger Ebertgave the film four out of four stars, saying "This film debut by the theater writer and director Martin McDonagh is an endlessly surprising, very dark, human comedy, with a plot that cannot be foreseen but only relished."Tasha Robinson ofThe A.V. Clubgave the film an "A−", praising the performances of the main cast: "Farrell, having successfully made the transition from overexposed-yet-underutilized action-thriller star to one-film-a-year artiste, gets a lot to work with, and he sells it all flawlessly, moving convincingly from offhanded, prickly asshole mode to nervous young lover to disintegrating martyr," and that "then again, all the leads are perfectly cast, and they help turn a light farce with thriller overtones into something deeper and sweeter." About the film itself, she added: "When it's funny, it's hilarious; when it's serious, it's powerful; and either way, it's an endless pleasant surprise."Claudia Puig ofUSA Todaygave the film three and a half stars out of four and praised the two leads, stating that "Brendan Gleeson is brilliant as Ken… along with his partner in crime, Ray, played by Colin Farrell in probably his best performance." About the film, she added that it's "sharply written, superbly acted, funny and even occasionally touching."Damon Wise ofEmpiremagazine gave the film four out of five stars, writing that "withIn Bruges,the British gangster movie gets a Croydon facelift. It may not be new, but it's a wonderfully fresh take on a familiar genre: fucked-up, far-out and very, very funny. "

John Anderson ofThe Washington Postgave the film a positive review, writing that "those who know McDonagh's work know a vein of darkness will run deeply through the comedy. It has seldom been darker. Or funnier. He has made a hit-man movie in which you don't know what will happen and can't wait to find out. Every movie should be so clichéd."Mick LaSalleof theSan Francisco Chroniclealso gave the film a positive review; he praised Farrell's performance, stating that "in the past few months, withCassandra's Dreamand now this, we've found out something about Farrell. He's not a matinee idol, and he's not a suave or heroic leading man. He's a terrific character actor, and he can go to low places that suave heroes can't risk, like anguish, self-hatred, embarrassment, utter confusion and buffoonery. "About the film, he added that it's" witty and lively, with a soul to it, as well. "Dana StevensofSlatemagazine also praised the performances of the two leads: "Farrell, who just played a remarkably similar tortured killer for hire in Woody Allen'sCassandra's Dream,finds just the right tone for this twitchy, funny, emotionally volatile thug; for once, he seems to know exactly what movie he's in. So does Brendan Gleeson, the big, shambling, sad-eyed Irish actor known to American audiences mainly for his role in the last twoHarry Pottermovies. "She continued about the film:" A jolly mess of a movie. Overplotted, choppy, and contrived, it nonetheless has a curious vitality that makes you wonder where McDonagh will go next. "James BerardinelliofReelViewsgave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, writing that "the acting is top-notch. Colin Farrell, who seems to be gravitating increasingly toward smaller films, effectively channels his manic energy. He and Brendan Gleeson display chemistry in the Odd Couple vein, occasionally giving rise to instances of humor. Ralph Fiennes plays one of the most twisted roles of his career."

Lisa SchwarzbaumofEntertainment Weeklygave the film a "C+", indicating a mixed review; she praised McDonagh's directing, stating that "he's a specialist in constructing satisfying, live-wire dramas of violence that crash up against despair, in upending his characters' miseries with moments of twisted humor, and in sustaining a writing voice that roars with a particularly Irish robustness of obscenity." She also added that "neither star is sloppy, but both are loose and mellow—a couple of pros who know they're the whole show."Ella TaylorofVillage Voicealso gave the film a mixed review, stating that "Brugesmay be the movie's rather too-long-running joke, but Farrell's shaggy brow is easily the most entertaining thing in Irish playwright Martin McDonagh's first foray into the crime caper. "

Accolades

Main article:List of accolades received by In Bruges

In Brugeswas nominated for seven awards by theBritish Independent Film Awards,including the Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director),Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Filmand Best Screenplay, the latter of which it won.It was also nominated for twoSatellite Awards:forBest Actor(Brendan Gleeson) andBest Film.

In November 2008, Martin McDonagh won the Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild (IPSG) award for Best Film Script for the film.

The film was also nominated for theGolden Globe AwardforBest Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy,and both Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell were nominated forBest Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy,which Farrell won at the66th Golden Globe Awardsceremony, broadcast on 11 January 2009.McDonagh won theBest Original Screenplayaward at the62nd British Academy Film Awardsin February 2009.

The film was nominated for theBest Original Screenplayaward at the81st Academy Awardsin 2009, but lost toMilk.In the same year, it won the Best International Film award at the6th Irish Film & Television Awards.

Home media

The film was released onDVDin Region 1 on 24 June 2008; region 2 on 11 August 2008; and Region 4 on 21 January 2009.It was also released onBlu-rayon 27 January 2009; and in region 1 on 13 July 2010.On 27 September 2022,Kino Lorberre-released the film in 4K Ultra HD.

External links

• In BrugesatIMDb
• In BrugesatAllMovie
• In BrugesatBox Office Mojo
• In BrugesatMetacritic
• In BrugesatRotten Tomatoes