Christmas in F**king Bruges!?
A cynical Christmas Carol of guilt, mortality, and maybe redemption.
After a job gone wrong, Irish hit men Ray and Ken (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson), angry crime boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) sends them to await further instruction in the medieval Belgian city. Oscar winner Martin McDonagh wrote his feature debut with the romantic Gothic architecture in mind, for the characters to interact with as they reckon with their chosen profession and bicker about beauty and beer (and Hieronymous Bosch). The crime thriller’s chases, shoot-outs, and existential conversations take place among the picturesque canals, landmarks and genuine artworks (in real galleries like the Groeninge Museum) of a historic city dressed for the holidays.
The 2008 dark comedy that one critic at the time described as ‘Laurel and Hardy with guns and Irish accents’ showcases odd-couple chemistry, razor-sharp dialogue and eminently quotable profanity. And it marks McDonagh’s shift from playwright to filmmaker, probing similar themes of friendship, honour, and loyalty as his new Wild Horse Nine (and The Banshees of Inisherin). Following everyone’s favourite Irish double act around the storybook city proves to be as darkly hilarious as it is poignant. “It's like Purgatory, isn't it? It's not quite dying, not quite your life, just hanging around."
Presented with an introduction by series host Nathalie Atkinson.