Debuts don’t get much finer than Martin McDonagh‘s In Bruges, the darkly twisted and comedic tale of two hit men (Colin Farrell) and (Brendan Gleeson) who venture to Belgium after a job to lay low. With differing personalities on how they perceive the quaint city, orders from their boss (Ralph Fiennes) throws a major divide between the two. With a great ensemble and McDonagh’s sharp-as-ever writing there are many themes at play, and today brings a new video essay exploring them,
Coming from The Nerdwriter, it explores the idea of Bruges-as-purgatory and how Martin McDonagh stages a morality play in dialogue. By looking at the film’s structure, its religious themes, and how the character’s actions, mood, and dialogue are reflected in each, it’s a perfect post-viewing watch for one of the finest films of the last decade. Check it out below as we await NcDonagh’s forthcoming next feature Three Billboards.
What do you think of In Bruges and what the video essay brings up?