I’ve seen comedy movies that deal with serious matters, and I’ve seen serious movies that incorporate comedic elements, but never before have I seen a film that could be considered both of these genres at the same time. Until I watched the dark comedy In Bruges, of course.

In Bruges circles around Ken and Ray, two hitmen who are sent to Bruges, Belgium by their boss, Harry Waters, after completing a job in London. Harry orders them to stay put and lay low until he’s able to call them with further instructions. With nothing to do but sight-see and visit the pubs, both Ken and Ray begin to rethink their lives as professional killers.

As you can probably observe from just the brief premise, the script was very original and fresh. I thought it would lean more towards one genre than the other, as most films do, but the blending of drama and comedy was surprisingly balanced. It was odd to feel shocked and scared one moment, and then laugh out loud the next. And it’s not just a movie that freaks you out and cracks you up – it’s a movie with a distinct underlying message. It’s one of those films that you can’t watch fully until you’ve seen it a couple times and caught all the subtle foreshadowing and symbolism. And what moviegoer doesn’t love a film you can watch five times and still see something you hadn’t before? 

I will warn you though – a lot of the film’s jokes can be taken a little offensively. To be fair, it mocks almost every class of people, not just one specific group, but some scenes were a little overstuffed with crude humor. I didn’t really have a problem with it, but those easily bothered by discriminatory jokes would probably be unable to truly relax and enjoy the plot.

Which is a shame because not only was the script great, the acting was brilliant as well. Colin Farrell is one of those actors who is basically awesome in every role he takes, even if the overall film isn’t that great, so I wasn’t at all surprised to see him bring the character of Ray so boldly to life. I hadn’t previously seen much of Clémence Poésy, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes (a.k.a. Fleur Delacour, Mad-Eye Moody, and Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies), or Jordan Prentice (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle), but I’m happy to say that they performed hundreds of times better in In Bruges. Each character was so multi-dynamic that it was hard to dislike any of them, even though they all had some pretty nasty pasts.

The directing of Martin McDonagh (Six Shooter) and cinematography of Eigil Bryld (Becoming Jane) was also amazing. Having the director be the writer as well really helped in keeping everything visually in sync with what was on the page. The way they revealed some events, like what occurred during the job in London, was very nicely done. I hope the two work together again some time in the future.

I’m still debating whether In Bruges is one of my favorites, but it’s definitely high on the list. It’s refreshing, it’s scary, it’s amusing, it’s intelligent…I guess I’ll just have to watch it one or twelve more times before I decide. I suggest that all other film buffs do the same.