IN BRUGES starts with two hitmen, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), who are sent to Bruges by their gangster boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) after Ray screws up a hit. Ken wants to take in the sights while Ray thinks Bruges is a crappy place until he meets Chloe who sells drugs to a Belgian film crew. Ray also has to deal with the fact that he accidentally shot a kid when he killed a priest. Then you through in the best character of the film, Jimmy (Jeremie Renier), a dwarf/ midget actor who is part of the film shooting in Bruges. Jimmy takes ketamine (horse tranquilizer) and hangs with Belgian prostitutes while being a very racist midget. IN BRUGES is a very funny dark comedy while showing off teh beauty of the buildings of Bruges. I think the midget (I mean dwarf) steals every scene he is and the midget talk by Ray had me howling with laughter. Still Colin and Brendan get upstaged by Ralph Fiennes which isn't a good thing when you're supposed to cared about Ray and Ken. Yet Jimmy the dwarf and monster gangster Harry are still more fun to watch.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
I wish the film had an audio commentary track.

11 deleted scenes and 2 extended scenes (23 minutes) feature two Harry flashbacks, more sight seeing of Bruges, and some unneeded padding in addition to a bed scene. The gag reel can be skipped, but F*CKING BR*GES is funny by the amount of swear words used in the short montage featurette.

WHEN IN BRUGES is a short making of featurette that has interviews with all major cast members and writer/ director Martin McDonagh. Martin represented his conflicting views about Bruges through the characters of Ray and Ken. This is Martin's first film.
STRANGE BRUGES- how they used Bruges in the film, how great it was for the film, and getting the town to cooperate. Actor Jeremie Renier (Jimmy the midget/ dwarf) says it is great down to try out different types of beers, but his opinion on Bruges matches the character of Ray.
A BOAT TRIP AROUND BRUGES just about says it as facts about Bruges are scrolled across the top and bottom of the screen during the boat trip.

Also the DVD has trailers for DOOMSDAY and HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY before the main menu.

FINAL ANALYSIS: IN BRUGES is a funny dark comedy. Ralph Fiennes and Jeremie Renier steal every scene they're in. I wish the film had more of the dwarf. Favorite extras amount to the deleted scenes and the swear word montage.

this movie review is (c)6-20-2008 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  

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