In Bruges

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Following his Oscar-winning short film, "Six Shooter," playwright Martin McDonagh's assured feature debut offers further proof of his obvious skill behind the camera.

The author of such award-winning London and Broadway hits as "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" and "The Pillowman" both wrote and directed "In Bruges" (Focus), which, like his edgy stage work, bears the hallmarks of telling characterization, quirky humor and bursts of unexpected brutality.

After the heinous murder (seen in flashback) of a priest and, inadvertently through a confessional box, a small boy, mobster Harry (Ralph Fiennes) -- who, for reasons we never learn, masterminded the job -- has ordered his two Irish hit men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), to go into hiding for an indefinite period of time in the Belgian city.

The older and wiser Ken finds himself enthralled with the beauties of the city -- the best preserved medieval town in the country -- and tries to encourage callow Ray to appreciate the treasures around him.

Ray is indifferent, but reluctantly plays tourist with Ken, including visiting its churches. One night, coming upon a film shoot, he catches the eye of an attractive crew member, Chloe (Clemence Poesy), and much to his surprise, she accepts his cheeky invitation to dinner the following evening.

While Ray dines with Chloe, Ken receives a sinister call from Harry, ordering him to pick up a gun from shady arms dealer Yuri (Eric Godon) and kill Ray, who, in Harry's twisted code of honor, has committed the ultimate offense in killing a child (never mind the priest).

What happens thereafter is far from what you'd expect. But suffice it to say, the disconsolate Ray, despite his pursuit of pleasure (which comes to include alcohol, women and drugs) is actually at the point of suicidal despair about his crime, though curiously not so much as to reform his trigger temper, as we see when a couple at an adjoining cafe table complain about his smoking.

Farrell's adept portrait of remorse is much like his remarkably similar conscience-stricken character in Woody Allen's "Cassandra's Dream." Gleeson's conflicted feelings about his young partner are most movingly conveyed. And Fiennes' explosive working-class boss is an impressive departure for the actor.

Ultimately, what Ken and Ray experience in Bruges will prove transformative for both of them, but in wildly unexpected ways.

Though this at-times tragicomedy has several extremely violent sequences and myriad other sordid elements -- which necessitate the film's highly restrictive classification -- those aspects reinforce McDonagh's basic theme of the futility of cyclical violence. And the intermittent conversations between the two criminals about their past deeds, the meaning of life, death, purgatory and other spiritual matters provide further texture.

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Though secondary to the dastardly doings that play out here, the film -- crisply photographed by Eigil Bryld -- showcases the remarkable beauty of a fairy tale-like town, which by the way served as the setting for "The Nun's Story" with Audrey Hepburn decades ago.

The film contains pervasive rough language and some profanity, violence with bloodshed, murder and suicide, the killing of a priest, drug use, prostitution, frank sexual talk, a nongraphic sexual encounter and ethnic slurs. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops