# "In Bruges" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487 "2012-09-02T22:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/21 "2012-09-03T12:28:16Z")
ThelmaLou writes: \> It’s probably THE darkest comedy I’ve ever seen-- equal parts darkness and \> comedy. Have you seen the 1964 film _Dr. Strangelove_ or the 1985 film _After Hours_? I think those are the best dark comedies I’ve ever seen. _In Bruges_ comes pretty close, I admit. Bruges has a reputation of being a classically pretty city. Its citizens are proud that it has kept most of its medieval architecture intact. It gets a lot of its tourism just from the look of the city. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/22 "2012-09-03T14:37:03Z")
I live about an hour’s drive away from Bruges (plus a channel crossing) and have been a few times. The film captured the city really well and any film with Colin Farrell Karate-chopping a dwarf deserves all the plaudits coming to it. And though it is slapstick here and there, it is also thoughtful and sentimental. Though I can’t know for sure, at least I now _think_ I have a bit more of an insight to the tortured world of the hit-man. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/23 "2012-09-03T15:27:17Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > ThelmaLou writes: > > \> It’s probably THE darkest comedy I’ve ever seen-- equal parts darkness and > \> comedy. > > Have you seen the 1964 film _Dr. Strangelove_ or the 1985 film _After Hours_? I think those are the best dark comedies I’ve ever seen. _In Bruges_ comes pretty close, I admit. I saw _Dr. Strangelove_ when it came out in 1964. It has not aged well, alas. Also saw _After Hours_. I think the fact that there’s so much actual killing AND blood in _In Bruges_ kicks up the Darkness score. Love to hear more suggestions in this genre. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/24 "2012-09-03T18:13:06Z")
Loved the film…and for a short time, I was my older brother’s go-to guy when searching for films to see on NetFlix…so I suggested this film, not knowing how he would like it. He still thanks me today for suggesting it and thought it was great! ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/25 "2012-09-03T18:20:44Z")
I agree with all the positive comments about **In Bruges** and **The Guard**. I rented both when they came out and really enjoyed them. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/26 "2012-09-03T21:04:16Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I saw _Dr. Strangelove_ when it came out in 1964. It has not aged well, alas. Also saw _After Hours_. I think the fact that there’s so much actual killing AND blood in _In Bruges_ kicks up the Darkness score. Love to hear more suggestions in this genre. **ThelmaLou** - I will suggest two for now. The _ **Ice Harvest** _, with John Cusack, Billy Bob Thorton, and Oliver Platt, to name a few. One of my personal favorites. Also, another John Cusack movie that falls in this category is _ **Grosse Pointe Blank** _. ---
**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:** [September 3, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/27 "2012-09-03T22:19:19Z")
ThelmaLou, please take our urgings seriously. You will (very probably) really love **The Guard**. It’s black as night, and so very funny. Not better than **In Bruges** , but they sit on the shelf together. Fittingly, of course, since they were made by brothers. They must have had an interesting childhood! If you can make it past the shocking opening (where some people at one screening I was at walked out), and the part where a seemingly dumb but extremely smart and sly Brendan Gleeson is trying to get under Don Cheadle’s skin with some racist comments (where a few other people walked out), you’re home free. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/28 "2012-09-04T00:23:42Z")
Ralph Fiennes played favorite film character in a very long time. The cunt wife and kids dialogue cracked me up. I saw “In Bruges” on Netflix, and when I was done watching it, I replayed that scene so I could laugh some more. Also, the gun bit slew me. “An Uzi? I’m not from South Central Los fucking Angeles. I didn’t come here to shoot twenty black ten year olds in a drive-by. I want a normal gun for a normal person.” Ha! ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/29 "2012-09-04T00:34:41Z")
I love In Bruges! I don’t see it on Netflix or iTunes 😕 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/30 "2012-09-04T00:55:54Z")
I will absolutely get _The Guard_. I promise. 🙂 > [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Also, the gun bit slew me. “An Uzi? I’m not from South Central Los fucking Angeles. I didn’t come here to shoot twenty black ten year olds in a drive-by. I want a normal gun for a normal person.” Ha! I loved it when Ken and Harry are talking about the gun dealer (Sigi or something) at the cafe and shaking their heads over what a character he is, and Harry (Feinnes) says, “He does yoga,” and Ken nods sagely. For those who haven’t seen it, Sigi’s apartment is this lavishly decorated place with lots of texture and brocade, and oriental rugs, and art and beautiful furniture… I mean, you can picture your rich grandmother living there and being served tea by a uniformed maid… except for the fact that every freaking horizontal and vertical surface is covered with guns of all imaginable and unimaginable kinds. “He does yoga.” ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/31 "2012-09-04T00:57:31Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > I love In Bruges! > > I don’t see it on Netflix or iTunes 😕 It’s only available for rental on disc from Netflix, not streaming. It doesn’t appear that iTunes has it for sale or rental. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/32 "2012-09-04T01:16:42Z")
> [@Rollo\_Tomasi](#): > > It’s only available for rental on disc from Netflix, not streaming. It doesn’t appear that iTunes has it for sale or rental. Yeah, I just rented the DVD from Netflix about a month ago. I had seen it a couple of years ago and really wanted to see it again. Even my wife, who doesn’t usually like movies with excessive violence or foul language, kind of enjoyed it. The midget cracks me the hell up. One line in particular (from memory): Ray: I didn’t know they had prostitutes in Bruges. Midget: You just have to know where to look. Brothels, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/33 "2012-09-04T01:39:42Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > I agree with all the positive comments about **In Bruges** and **The Guard**. I rented both when they came out and really enjoyed them. I still haven’t seen The Guard. Must give it a look. My sad claim to fame is I’ve sold books to Brendan Gleeson a couple of times. He seemed a tad grumpy. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/34 "2012-09-04T02:20:32Z")
[I assume we are all planning on seeing Seven Psycopaths, the upcoming movie from the same director? Also starring Colin Farrel again.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HJoOt0jS9Q) ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/35 "2012-09-04T02:24:07Z")
another dark comedy (not as good as In Bruges, but definitely has it’s good qualities is _ **Burn After Reading** _, a Cohen Brother movie. It was hilarious at times, while exceedingly violent and vulgar in others. Brad Pitt should have been given a nomination for best supporting actor in the movie. He made me laugh every time he was on the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/36 "2012-09-04T02:56:33Z")
I liked it. The stoned talk about the imminent race war was pretty funny. It really captured that “Oh, so this conversation is happening now. Didn’t see that coming, but okay.” vibe rather well. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/37 "2012-09-04T03:14:32Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > [I assume we are all planning on seeing Seven Psycopaths, the upcoming movie from the same director? Also starring Colin Farrel again.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HJoOt0jS9Q) Oh yes! Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, AND Tom Waits? A hard-core gangster black comedy about DOGnapping? Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh? Oh fuck yes indeed! I love **Burn After Reading** too. It just keeps getting funnier and funnier every time I see it. “You think that’s a Schwinn?” ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/38 "2012-09-04T03:33:18Z")
I’ve added _Seven Psycopaths_ to my movies to watch list. Are you all saying _Burn After Reading_ was a black comedy rather than a docudrama on the ineptitude of intelligence agencies ala _The Men Who Stare at Goats_? I loved it too. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/39 "2012-09-04T03:40:53Z")
It’s a great movie. And we saw it a short time after the wife had visited Bruges, so that was nice for her. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487/40 "2012-09-04T03:46:13Z")
You fucking retract that bit about my cunt fucking kids! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-bruges/633487.md?page=3)