Patricia Abbott (pattinase): In Bruges

Saturday, February 16, 2008

In Bruges

Sometimes a movie just strikes the right note for your mood and this one rang the bell. Funny, tragic and with the added treat of seeing Bruges on film, it couldn't have been more fun. Two days ago we saw Definitely, Maybe which had all the authenticity of a Hallmark card, but this one just felt like the real deal. I think it's Colin Farrell's best performance and Brendon Gleason and Ralph Fiennes (is he ever bad?) were ridiculously good. Maybe it traded too much on dwarf jokes but other than that, a good time.

8 comments:

Peter Rozovsky said...: I suspect you may be right on both counts. The first thing Definitely, Maybe has against it is is that godawful title. The second is the absurd advertising campaign that proclaims it the best romantic comedy since Annie Hall. If so, why does it have to rely on cute-kid appeal?

But I plan to see In Bruges tomorrow or, if I can't drag myself out of bed on time, Monday.

One review suggested its comedy and its tragedy did not fit well together, which I'll be looking out for. The trailer was all comedy, no tragedy, which was fine because it was very funny, though it may say something about the honesty of trailers.

More later.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/; 10:43 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: Oh, the trailer was definitely misleading as so many are now. It was much more tragic than it promised. In fact, you go away with that and not the comic moments. Let me know what your think.; 10:47 PM
Megan said...: They had me at Ralph Fiennes. (Of course, so did The Avengers, and we all know how that turned out...); 6:02 PM
pattinase (abbott) said...: He looked and sounded quite different here, didn't he? Amazing actor. I don't think he's had quite the career I expected after Schindler's List and Quiz Show. I don't think they always know what to do with him.; 6:51 PM
Peter Rozovsky said...: I've just seen In Bruges, and I may make a post about the movie. For now, though, I've made a post about the stunning disconnect between the trailer and the film. The trailer may be the most blatanly dishonest I have ever seen. Here's my post on that strange subject: http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-bruges-or-how-do-you-feel-about.html
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/; 2:22 AM
Peter Rozovsky said...: Given that the setting preceded the story, according to movie's director, I wonder if the references to Bruges as a shithole were ironic. It really is a lovely city.

I was there just a few days, but I did cruise those canals, climb that tower, and walk the same path than Colin Farrell ran when he was being chased in the final scene. In fact, it was only because I have walked that path that I picked up what may have been a symbolic reference on the director's part.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/; 3:53 AM
pattinase (abbott) said...: We were in Bruges in 1996, an incredibly hot July four day visit. I thought it was quite the prettiest city I'd ever seen. Now it is a bit static for a young hit man, I guess. but I do think it was meant to be ironic because the camera would pan the sites as he said it.; 8:37 AM
Peter Rozovsky said...: I was there in winter, so I could relate well to the time in which the movie is set -- seeing one's own breath during a canal tour, and the like. Still, even when cold, the city is definitely not a --------.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/; 1:57 PM