November Recommendation: In Bruges

 

                            I know this isn't your usual Thanksgiving type movie to watch in the month of November. But since Thanksgiving is really a month about giving Thanks, I figured I'd make in exception. When I first saw the trailer to In Bruges twelve years ago I figured that this would be just two a-holes who are professional hitmen that are forced to hide out in a small town after a job went wrong, and they just get themselves in deep trouble and their employer decides to take care of them after they didn't get his call. But I was given a huge curveball when I finally watched the film and realize how insanely dark, but amazing at the same time. Also, I get to see Colin Farrell in one of his best performances of a lifetime. I also say the same with Brendan Gleeson too, up there with his performance in Gangs of New York, a side from the fact that the man has been in films that I didn't recognized at first but hey, that normal right? A side from its great comedic work and dialogue, the film itself gives you a nice theme of trying to get a second chance at life. Okay now getting to the point of way too much info so let's talk about why I select In Bruges as my November Recommendation.

                           After a job went horribly wrong, both Ray and Ken (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) are instructed to head to Bruges, Belgium so they can lay low for a while and give a chance to site see. Ken loves the place, but Ray hates the town as well, unfortunately Ray is haunted by the aftermath of the job and hates himself in what he has witnessed, and Ken begins to understand his pain. A side from the many beers and drugs the two men begin to have a life changing experience, that neither of them expects to have.

                           Now back to why I recommend this for the month of November, obviously since there's hardly any good movies about thanksgiving, but this movie I must give thanks to because in some way this film alone helped me mature, when it comes to movies and here's why. When I was a kid I was so at awed with Star Wars I figured that was one of those films I want to make in life and honestly Star Wars was one of those films, that got me into wanting to be a movie director because let’s face it nobody wants to be a movie critic for the rest of their lives. So, really In Bruges helped me realize that their other genres to venture into instead of the science fiction movies, action or western's and really, if you can make the dialogue interesting furthermore the story as well. So deep down these kinds of films are always good use when it comes to starting off your first film. Call me crazy all you want but this is really Colin Farrell's best movie performance period, I mean is comedic work and his agility to show such emotion on the screen is just pure enjoyment to watch on screen and thank the lord he won a Golden Globe for this performance alone. Brendan Gleeson also does amazing work as well playing sort of a great friend to Farrell's character but yet is annoyed to death by him moreover will do anything to help him, and really both Farrell and Gleeson have such great chemistry on screen, where at the first act of the film they both can't stand each other but at the end of the day they both really respect and admire one another in a way kind of like an Irish version of the odd couple, but much more hilarious. Martin McDonagh is a fantastic filmmaker and an extraordinary storyteller, and a lot of people don't know this but he actually started off as a playwright before he got in to film, and the ingenious fact is how he came up with In Bruges is that he took a trip Bruges, Belgium and through the course of the trip he actually had a love hate relationship with the place, and that's pretty much how the characters of Ray and Ken were born, so really he has a fantastic gift of seeing inspiration through life and trips around the world. So if you have a movie to be thankful for or a film that made you the way you are now I would highly recommend watching that film and to be thankful for because really movies that we love or cherish is really the things in life we should be thankful for, also if you haven't had the chance to watch In Bruges I would highly recommend watching this amazing film on any electronic device that has this film available on, because you'll highly enjoy it and it will defiantly give you a new glimpse on life.