
In Bruges – Film Review

I thought I was going to miss out on this movie, but thanks to its recent historical success at the Oscars, South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s film got a second life at the cinemas. It’s a remarkable and wildly entertaining ride that deserves to be seen on a big screen, if only for the reactions of the crowd gasping out loud at the movie’s twists and turns.
I missed out on this unconventional romantic comedy when it was first released ten years ago, so when I was in a mood for something light last week I thought I’d give it a go. Though it has some issues and its penchant for indie quirk and twee soundtrack are at times mildly grating, in the end it’s a charmer.
This strange hodge-podge of comedy and thriller from director Paul Feig can’t decide whether it wants to poke light-hearted fun at the recent thrillers like Gone Girl, or actually be the next Gone Girl. But it’s heaps of fun regardless.
This charming and entertaining romantic comedy is proof that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel or poke fun at the genre tropes; when done well there’s nothing like Happily Ever After to override your inner realist and leave you with a big smile on your face.
I didn’t see this eccentric, pitch-black, savagely funny satire about the death of the Soviet dictator when it was out in the cinemas, but I’m glad I had a chance to watch it at home. Or rather my Mum’s home, since I don’t do streaming.
I have a long “movies I missed at the cinema” list and now this 2011 comedy starring Kristen Wiig is off it. I believe that watching a film by yourself at home, without the infectious communal atmosphere of a movie theatre, is a pretty good test of just how funny a movie is. I laughed out loud a good many times during Bridesmaids; bonus points for tickling my funny bone while I was feeling like a sleep-deprived zombie.