In Bruges

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Bruges

Theatrical release poster

Directed by Martin McDonagh
 Graham Broadbent
Produced by  Pete Czernin

Written by Martin McDonagh

 Colin Farrell
 Brendan Gleeson
 Ralph Fiennes
Starring
 Clémence Poésy
 Jérémie Renier

Music by Carter Burwell

Cinematography Eigil Bryld
Edited by Jon Gregory
 Blueprint Pictures
 Film4 Productions
Production
 Focus Features
company
 Scion Films

Distributed by  Universal Studios

  Focus Features

 January 17, 2008 (Sundance

Film Festival)
 February 8, 2008 (United
Release date States)
 April 18, 2008 (United
Kingdom)

Running time 107 minutes[1]

 United Kingdom
Country  United States[2]

Language English
Budget $15 million[3]
Box office $34.5 million[3]

In Bruges is a 2008 black comedy crime film written and

directed by Martin McDonagh. The film stars Colin Farrell and
Brendan Gleeson as two Irish hitmen in hiding (BY
STEALTH), with Ralph Fiennes as their boss. The film is set
and was filmed in the Belgian city of Bruges.[4]
In Bruges was the opening night film of the 2008 Sundance
Film Festival[5] and opened in limited release in the United
States on 8 February 2008. The film garnered a cult status for
its dark humour and dialogue.

Plot

Carrying out orders, rookie hitman Ray shoots a priest during

confession, but accidentally kills a young boy who is also in
church. He and his mentor Ken are sent (BE+V+3RD FORM)
to Bruges, where they are to await further instructions, by their
employer Harry. Ken finds the city charming and quaint, while
Ray has nothing but contempt (DISGUST) for it.
They chance upon a film shoot involving a dwarf actor, which
amuses (pleases / MAKE HIM HAPPY) Ray. Ray is attracted
to Chloë, a local drug dealer moonlighting as a production
assistant. He takes her to a restaurant, where he gets into an
argument (DEBATE, QUARREL) with a Canadian couple
(mistaking them for Americans) and ends up knocking them
unconscious. Chloë takes Ray to her apartment where they
begin to make love, but her ex-boyfriend Eirik appears (TURN
UP, SHOW UP) and threatens Ray with a handgun. Ray
disarms him and fires the gun, loaded with blanks (EMPTY),
in Eirik's face, blinding him in one eye. Chloë admits that she
and Eirik rob tourists, but insists (ERŐSKÖDÖTT,
RAGASZKODIK) she had told (pAST PERFECT) Eirik
that Ray was not a target. Ray and Ken spend a debauched night
with the dwarf actor, Jimmy, who takes cocaine and rants about
a coming war 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 make a new start elsewhere. He
gives Ray some money and puts him on a train to another city, while confiscating his gun to
prevent a further suicide attempt. Ken reports back to Harry, who immediately sets out for
Bruges, enraged at the disobedience. He picks up a gun at Yuri's, and Eirik, Yuri's son, learns
of his intention.

On the train, Ray is identified by the Canadian couple he assaulted in the restaurant and is
escorted by the police back to Bruges. Chloë bails him out and the two share a drink on the
market square beneath the Belfry of Bruges. Harry arrives in Bruges and rushes through the
streets towards Ray's hotel, but spots Ken sitting outside a cafe. As the two have a drink,
Harry boasts that if he himself had killed a child, he would have immediately taken his own
life. Ken argues that Ray has the capacity to change and deserves a chance at redemption.
Harry is unconvinced, so Ken suggests they ascend the bell tower. At the top, Harry pulls his
handgun on Ken, but Ken refuses to resist. Confused, 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 him 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's mangled body and
learns of Harry's arrival. Just before he dies, Ken tells him to take his gun, but it has been
broken in the fall.
Harry chases Ray to the hotel; Marie, the pregnant owner, refuses Harry entry, even when he
draws his gun. Harry and Ray agree to continue the chase on the canal and Ray jumps onto a
passing barge. Harry wounds Ray with a shot from a distance. Ray staggers onto the street
where Jimmy's film is shooting. Harry catches up and repeatedly shoots Ray until he
collapses. One of the bullets hits Jimmy (costumed as a schoolboy), blowing his head apart.
Harry believes he has killed a child and, despite protest from Ray, kills himself. Ray is lifted
into an ambulance, with a distraught Chloë, the hotel owner Marie and even Eirik at his side.
In narration, Ray reflects on the nature of hell, comparing it to the city of Bruges, and declares
that he really hoped he wouldn't die.

The film earned Farrell the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor
– Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, while Gleeson was
nominated for the same.[6] McDonagh won the BAFTA Award
for Best Original Screenplay[7] and was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.[8]