# In Bruges **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2008, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169 "2008-02-18T22:00:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/61 "2009-01-31T02:59:21Z")
It’s been almost a year, but I guess we’re still using spoilers boxes, so here goes. I must admit, until I saw this movie, I had never previously contemplated the inevitability of a race war amongst the midgets. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/62 "2009-01-31T04:09:29Z")
> [@brownie55](#): > > Who picked out the priest as Julius Ceasar? Me too. > [@Tarwater](#): > > Martin McDonagh is a hack. He’s written one, maybe two lines in his entire life worth a fraction of the acclaim some critics lavish on him. > > None of those lines were in In Bruges. Hey, stating your opinions as fact - you know, taking no ownership of your comments - awesome. Are you sure you weren’t trying to comment at IMDb or perhaps youtube? Either way, thanks for the insights! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/63 "2009-01-31T04:51:15Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Hey, stating your opinions as fact - you know, taking no ownership of your comments - awesome. Are you sure you weren’t trying to comment at IMDb or perhaps youtube? Either way, thanks for the insights! FYI, **d\_q** ,most people around here take it as a given that when someone is expressing an \*opinion \*about something that is a matter of _opinion_, it’s insulting to everyone’s intelligence to point out that it’s an _opinion_, because most of us can tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/64 "2009-01-31T06:07:22Z")
When one’s opinions are so blatantly inflammatory and running against the established grain of the thread, it is - _in my opinion_ - the most passive-aggressive form of trolling to omit any form of ownership and thereby stating them as fact. ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/65 "2009-01-31T07:34:46Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > When one’s opinions are so blatantly inflammatory and running against the established grain of the thread, it is - _in my opinion_ - the most passive-aggressive form of trolling to omit any form of ownership and thereby stating them as fact. Huh, that’s weird. With my settings, I see Tarwater in big blue letters directly above the post that set you off. Almost like it’s indicating some form of ownership or something. Maybe there’s a parameter you can tweak in your profile if you’re not seeing something similar? ETA: Holy hell, I see quixotic78 in big blue letters above my post too! Man, you have _got_ to try this out, **d\_q**. It’s such an amazingly simple way of seeing who owns what opinions. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/66 "2009-01-31T17:10:13Z")
**drastic\_quench** has a point in that the tone of **Tarwater’s** opinion, at least, stood in jarring contrast to the rest of the comments about the movie in this thread, whether positive or negative. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/67 "2009-01-31T19:30:42Z")
Enough with the referee’ing. Move on, move on. p.s. If you didn’t find this movie funny you’ve probably got no soul. Or you’re an American who took all the anti-Yank cracks too personally. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/68 "2009-01-31T19:32:26Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > When one’s opinions are so blatantly inflammatory and running against the established grain of the thread, it is - _in my opinion_ - the most passive-aggressive form of trolling to omit any form of ownership and thereby stating them as fact. This is very, very ridiculous. You’re talking 100% about your own personal issues. Also, you’re 100% wrong. If you’re expressing an opinion about a matter of opinion, you are NOT, in fact, stating it as a fact. You are stating it as an opinion. The simple fact that you are talking about a movie makes it impossible to state as a fact. The only adjustment to be made here is yours. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/69 "2009-01-31T20:43:10Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > This is very, very ridiculous. You’re talking 100% about your own personal issues. Also, you’re 100% wrong. If you’re expressing an opinion about a matter of opinion, you are NOT, in fact, stating it as a fact. You are stating it as an opinion. The simple fact that you are talking about a movie makes it impossible to state as a fact. The only adjustment to be made here is yours. I disagree with all of your points, but it’s fine with me that you’re not swayed by my argument. I don’t think I’ll be making any adjustments either. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/70 "2009-01-31T21:23:02Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > I disagree with all of your points, but it’s fine with me that you’re not swayed by my argument. I don’t think I’ll be making any adjustments either. That’s fine, as long as you keep it to yourself, because most people around here will respect your intelligence enough not to state and restate, over and over again, the obvious: that when you’re sharing your opinion in a Cafe Society thread, you are, in fact, stating an opinion. I think you’ll find you’re in a tiny, tiny minority if you want people to treat you like a child and restate the tautological givens in every single CS post; most of us would find it insulting and annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/71 "2009-01-31T22:02:10Z")
A movie as wonderful as this one doesn’t deserve a thread that’s turned into a flame war. The people who love the film (myself included) don’t care what Martini Enfield or Tarwater think about it. It’s their opinion and their loss, not ours. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/72 "2009-02-01T00:07:33Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > It’s their opinion and their loss, not ours. Nuh uh, it’s fact, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/73 "2009-02-08T01:59:55Z")
[thread resurrection in progress] I’m about half way through this movie and _loving it_! “I can’t see!” “Of course you can’t see; I just shot you in the eye with a blank. Now stop crying like a **big…dumb…gay…baby**!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/74 "2009-02-08T03:28:49Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [thread resurrection in progress] > > I’m about half way through this movie and _loving it_! > > “I can’t see!” > > “Of course you can’t see; I just shot you in the eye with a blank. Now stop crying like a **big…dumb…gay…baby**!” > 😃 Funniest movie of the year for my money. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/75 "2009-02-08T04:32:49Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > When one’s opinions are so blatantly inflammatory and running against the established grain of the thread, it is - _in my opinion_ - the most passive-aggressive form of trolling to omit any form of ownership and thereby stating them as fact. Yeah, that was a pretty weird comment. And the guy who wrote In Bruges only wrote one other movie, so it’s unusual to have such an issue with him. New user, you never know what the history is. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/76 "2009-02-08T05:02:22Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Yeah, that was a pretty weird comment. And the guy who wrote In Bruges only wrote one other movie, so it’s unusual to have such an issue with him. New user, you never know what the history is. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/77 "2009-02-08T05:35:07Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Yeah, that was a pretty weird comment. And the guy who wrote In Bruges only wrote one other movie, so it’s unusual to have such an issue with him. New user, you never know what the history is. His other movie was just a short, won the oscar for best live short a couple years ago. But he’s written several plays. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/78 "2009-02-08T08:03:38Z")
Thanks to this thread I _just_ made the connection that this is the same guy who wrote _Beauty Queen of Leenane_ – which is one of my favorite plays, saw it in London many years ago and immediately had to hunt up and buy the script. Of course now that it’s been pointed out, it’s really kind of obvious… both are written in a very similar style. Very funny, and very very dark. Loved the movie. Got the idea that Ray hated Bruges in large part because he was hating himself at that point. The characterization was brilliant, and I really loved [spoiler] the bit of a mislead at the beginning, where it seems like it was just a hit gone wrong, but we don’t find out til later that this was Ray’s _very first hit_. He wasn’t a hardened criminal, he was just a dumb kid (relatively speaking) who got in over his head. It’s a huge part of what makes him so tragic. And honestly, I didn’t think that Ray survived at the end. The whole story is a bit too bleak for that. The point was that he finally wanted to. And it would fit in very well with the style of _Beauty_, too… that was also a seriously bleak ending.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169/79 "2009-02-08T16:22:16Z")
I finally saw this a couple of days ago and I loved it. In fact, I went out yesterday to buy the DVD and couldn’t find it anywhere. Looked at five different stores including Fry’s. Oh well, Amazon here I come. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/438169.md?page=3)