In 2008, Martin McDonagh burst into the scene with his first full-length feature In Bruges, a film that captivated audiences through its dark humor, its cast's undeniable chemistry, and its absurd and ironic circumstances. However, behind its ability to tickle even the most jaded person's funny bones is a humorous allegory for the loss of childlike innocence.
In Bruges tells the story of Ray (Colin Farell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), a couple of hitmen who were sent on vacation to Bruges, Belgium by Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes). The movie soon reveals that Ray, in his mission prior to arriving in Bruges, accidentally killed a young boy. As a result, Ken was tasked by Harry to eliminate him, effectively removing any trails back to him for the job. Ken, however, in a surprising development of fatherly affection, turns his back on Harry and does everything in his power to let Ray escape. It is in this conflict where we can see that Ray, deep inside, is just a kid slowly but surely losing his ignorance of the world's problems and his acceptance of life's bigger tribulations.
Ray's Childish Antics
For instance, Ray seems to present himself as a brat. First, he throws a childish tantrum because they are in Bruges, a place of culture, peace, and tranquility. Most, if not all adults would enjoy spending every waking minute of their vacation in a place like this. In one sequence, Ray finds a rather shallow source of entertainment when he sees a film crew shooting a scene with a little person. While this isn't something one should find funny, he relishes in the mere existence and presence of one to generate amusement for himself. His pursuit of a momentary experience of hilarity leads him to meet Chloe (Clémence Poésy), a drug dealer who enjoys the thrill of life, and he feels a strange affinity for her. She's the cool girl, a beautiful lady that represents, for others, what it truly means to be alive.
Then, he constantly finds ways to annoy his adult companion. When Ray grants Ken's request of touring the scenery of Bruges during the daytime in exchange for a chance to date Chloe in the evening, he manages to suck every bit of relaxation from his partner. While they are looking at artifacts in a historic church, Ray, like a stubborn kid, decides to sit in a corner and play with a wooden chair. Then, when Ken asks him to be with him, he mentions that while he did agree to join him in his exploration of the tourist destinations, he did not agree to have fun doing it. They boil into an argument over whether they would touch the relic, and Ray's childishness takes over what is supposed to be a meaningful moment. It elicits laughter from the audience because it reminds them of their arguments as a child, and from the perspective of an adult, is absurdly humorous.
Two Boys Were Killed in the First Job
But as In Bruges rolls along, Ray is hit with situation after situation that transforms his viewpoint of the world. Being a hitman isn't as easy as it seemed to be, which he finds out after his botched first job, where he accidentally shoots a young church boy in the head. One can make the argument that it wasn't just the boy and the priest that were killed in this endeavor, but it also figuratively killed the kid inside him. Childhood innocence is enveloped in the aura of zero responsibility and enjoying every moment. When he kills the boy, his hands are immediately bloodied. Ray breaks down every single time he remembers this moment, and he has to deal with the dark reality of facing the consequences of his actions, regardless of whether it was intentional or not.
However, much like a child facing adulthood, there is still an adult figure that does their best to try and guide them, regardless of a familial relationship. In this instance, Ken takes up this role, and realizing that Ray has a bright future ahead of him despite his shortcomings, offers to sacrifice himself to give him a second chance. Much like a parent, he grows frustrated by his kid's immaturity, but will do everything in his power to protect them. This choice culminates in Ken offering his life for a chance at Ray's escape. Ultimately, it is futile, but that is not the point. It is not up to these figures to determine one's success, but one's own actions and determination to reach a point. Perhaps this situation was too dire and too deep to dig out of, and through a couple of dumdum bullets, kills Ray's chances at redemption. Tragically, it shatters both his dreams, his inspirations, and his internal organs.
The Silly Game of Principles
Interestingly, there is a game of principles in this film that stands out as Harry Waters' driving point. He mentions earlier that if it was him that shot a young kid, he would fire a gun at himself immediately, no questions asked. In the culminating sequence, Waters accidentally shoots the dwarf in the head with the dumdum bullets, and mistakenly thinking it was a child, he points a gun at his head and shoots. Perhaps it is a reminder for us as adults that even though principles are our foundations for living an adult life, that we should always present a way of re-examining them from time to time.
In essence, In Bruges asks us not only to bask in its humor, but to also reflect on second chances, to re-evaluate one's values, and to give everyone a chance at redemption.
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