Burn vs. Bruges
by manz
A weekend adventure involving movies that you file under B, but not in that way: Burn After Reading and In Bruges. Which B will be for you? I really wanted to like Burn After Reading as I really enjoy the Coen Bros. films, everything from Fargo to The Big Lebowski to Miller’s Crossing. But this one just didn’t do it for me and I even watched it twice. The characters were fun, the acting was good, the action was okay, but the plot just wasn’t as kooky as I’d have liked it to be for the Coen Bros. even though it was indeed kooky. Hardbodies employees Linda (involved in online dating and desires plastic surgery) and Chad (the high energy goofball) find a disc containing the memoir of ex-CIA agent Osbourne Cox. They decide they are going to blackmail him but the plan is foiled and he fights back, Linda starts dating the treasury agent that is married to the woman Osbourne is having an affair with, the Russian embassy gets involved, and murder ensues. (Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, France McDormand, Tilda Swinton.)
On the other hand, I didn’t think I’d like In Bruges, and I ended up really enjoying it. It has irony and humor to soften the darkness and violence two hit men encounter while “vacationing” in Bruges, Belgium. (This may have something to do with the fact that I like gangster films and even more-so humorous gangster films.) Ray and Ken are sent to Bruges to wait for “the call” from their man Henry with further instructions. When the call comes it is with news that they weren’t expecting. All the while the two men spend time in Bruges sight seeing, having fun on a set of a film being made, complaining, and drinking, while waiting for a life and death situation to be resolved. (Starring Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell.)
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