JW: When did you first watch In Bruges? Did you have the feeling at the time that this film would stay with you for some time?
EM: I first watched it in high school at a friend’s house. His room was a converted garage that felt like a bunker (albeit a comfortable one). I was starting to realize my love of film as being beyond just a way to pass the time on a weekend night in a small town. I discovered the visual language of film resonated with me in a way that other art forms didn’t.
When I first watched In Bruges, I didn’t know what to make of it. I found it undeniable interesting, but didn’t think it’d be something I would revisit. It was so different from anything I’d ever seen and I chalked it up to one of my friend’s arthouse films that he watched to ease his insomnia. Turned out to be my favorite film to date.
JW: Describe the way the story unfolds. Why is it important that the story takes place in an environment in which the protagonist/s are foreigners?
EM: The premise is that two Irish hitmen are flying under the radar in Bruges, Belgium after one of them botches his first assignment. It’s both their first time there. The story follows the priorities of both characters on a quasi-holiday in a medieval city that the older hitman, Ken, finds fascinating, and the younger hitman, Ray, finds agonizingly boring. Other characters incite conflict while they wait for the impending authority to decide what to do, their boss--Harry.
Alienation is a theme lingering throughout the film, one which is emphasized by McDonagh’s distinctive command of language. Ray feels adrift in a city that lacks the pub ratio of Dublin and seems to be entirely comprised of medieval museums and cathedrals. Ken takes an increasingly paternal role in Ray’s life, as he continues to mourn the loss of his wife and balances his dedication to Harry (the boss) and his affection for Ray--someone he believes he can save.
JW: What is the significance of the consistent yellow/golden tinged hue that permeates the lighting of the film? How would you describe the style of In Bruges?
EM: A gothic color palette tinges every frame of In Bruges. The yellow-gold offsets the dark browns, blacks, and greys that the architecture is comprised of in the city and personify the stark morality of the Catholic Church. The blend of yellow with black (the two most contrasting colors) underscores the binary world that the Catholic Church preaches to its Irish constituents—heaven/hell, sin/grace, fidelity/adultery.
Against these yellow-black tinged scenes drifts a fog that obscures the actions and meanings of the characters in the latter part of the film. This fog is symbolic of the non-binary moral nature of characters’ decisions--Ken deciding to protect Ray (a known murderer); Harry willing to put others in harm’s way so that he may punish Ray for an unforgivable sin; Ray choosing not to kill himself, but risking the safety of others by staying in Bruges. The visual choices work in tandem with the characters’ motives and the repercussions of those motives.
JW: As a writer, how do you see this film in terms of the way it is crafted--is there an overlap between the narratives you write and the way this movie delivers narrative details?
EM: This film is crafted impeccably in terms of tone. The dark humor of In Bruges combined with a mix of satire and reverence for Catholicism is difficult to pull off in a way that resonates beyond a micro-population of characters who enjoy Tottenham FC digs and Irishmen hyper-protective of the Vietnamese. It works because of McDonagh’s authorial voice and because every line builds toward the finale while also building bridges toward other interpretations that seem like tangents upon a first viewing. McDonagh teases out exposition in an engaging way. From the first line, you know the situation--he mixes vagueness and specificity in a way that draws you in immediately. You don’t meet Harry until two-thirds through the film. He uses Checkhov’s gun, but delays the bang until it matters most.
In my stories, I try to give the same amount of scaffolding that McDonagh does here, enough that the viewer/reader will trust you enough to keep going, but not too much that they wait for the action to get going. A little disorientation helps.
What I learned from McDonagh that I try to incorporate into my work is that his dialogue is distinct, his characters’ voices are unmistakable, even when you don’t have Colin Farrell’s brooding eyebrows hovering over them. He always chooses the more interesting choice and I think that’s the biggest lesson as the writer. Ask yourself: what is the most interesting choice for this word/line/scene/character/story? Then proceed.
