Movie Analysis: “In Bruges” — Part 1: Scene By Scene Breakdown

Watch this critically acclaimed indie movie and analyze it all week.

Another in our series in which we analyze notable movies. Why? To quote the writing mantra I coined 9 years ago: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages. You will note which one comes first. Here are my reflections from that post about the importance of watching movies:

To be a good screenwriter, you need to have a broad exposure to the world of film. Every movie you see is a potential reference point for your writing, everything from story concepts you generate to characters you develop to scenes you construct. Moreover people who work in the movie business constantly reference existing movies when discussing stories you write; it’s a shorthand way of getting across what they mean or envision.

But most importantly, you need to watch movies in order to ‘get’ how movie stories work. If you immerse yourself in the world of film, it’s like a Gestalt experience where you begin to grasp intuitively scene composition, story structure, character functions, dialogue and subtext, transitions and pacing, and so on.

This week’s movie: In Bruges, written by Martin McDonagh, starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes.

IMDb plot summary: Guilt-stricken after a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.

Our schedule for discussion this week:

Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Tuesday: Plot
Wednesday: Characters
Thursday: Themes
Friday: Dialogue
Saturday: Takeaways

In Bruges
Scene By Scene breakdown
By Mark Furney
GoIntoTheStory.blcklst.com

Reading notes: Because there is not a legally available script to refer to, this breakdown is keyed to the sequences as organized on the DVD. For instance, sequence #2, “Terrible Tourist,” starts 4:40 into the movie. I’ve tried to hit the major plot, thematic, and character beats in the snippets I’ve used in this breakdown. Occasionally, I use “banter” as shorthand for extended dialog. The movie’s dialog is stellar; each character has a unique voice, and the dialog, through all of its humor, irony, and subtext usually contains a purpose in revealing a character trait, emotion, or thematic element.

1. MEDIEVAL TOWN

a. On black, RAY in V.O. “After I killed him, I dropped the gun in the Thames … awaited instructions … GTFO of London, dumb fucks — get to Bruges. It’s in Belgium.”
b. Sound only, two men walking a street, Ray: Bruges is a shithole. KEN: no, we just got here. Could we reserve judgment?
c. Ray and Ken walk a street in Bruges. Ken likes it; Ray doesn’t. Ray appears to be in his early 30s; Ken, mid 40s.
d. MARIE, a very pregnant woman who co-owns the hotel, checks Ray and Ken into a single twin room. “For two weeks.” Ray: “Two weeks?!!!”
e. Now in their room, banter from Ken about how pretty the view is and how miserable Ray is. Ken: “we must stay until he calls.” Ray: “for two weeks?!!” Ken: “I don’t like to say this, but I wasn’t the guy who killed the kid.” Ray turns sad-eyed: “so why bring that up?”
f. Ray, in the bathroom. Alone. He looks into the mirror; eyes tear up; breathes deeply.
g. Ray and Ken on canal, sightseeing. Ken likes Bruges; Ray doesn’t. Ken: Bruges is probably the most medieval town in Belgium.

2. TERRIBLE TOURIST … 4.40 …

a. In front of big Church.
b. Ken wants to go up to the bell tower. A humorous encounter between Ken and the attendant when Ken tries to pay 4.9 Euro, rather than the stated fee of 5 Euro.
c. Ken enjoys the view from the bell tower … sees Ray below; play shoots him.
d. Fat American tourist approaches Ray, who sits on a bench. Ray: “You ain’t going up there…” And he insults the fat guy … almost a fight….
e. Ken comes out and says to the fat American, “You better not go up there.”
f. Ray and Ken at bar “awaiting instructions from Harry.” Ken is gay; Ray obviously doesn’t care. Ray wants to get back to London; Ken: “You don’t even know we are hiding out; we may be here on a job.” “Harry can get guns anywhere.”

3. SEEING THE SIGHTS … 10.00 …

a. In room, Ken reading; Ray is bored, wants to go drinking. Ken says no. . Ray: “He won’t call.” Ray says “let’s go out and see the tourist sights at night.” To this, Ken agrees.
b. On the street at night, banter between Ken and Ray, and there is a film crew filming a male dwarf (JIMMY). Ray is taken aback upon seeing the pretty CHOLE, who assists on the film shoot. (12.20)
c. At a catering table, Ray flirts with Chloe … Chloe: “It is a dream sequence…” Ray: “A lot of midgets tend to kill themselves.” More flirting; Ray asks for a date. Chloe walks away but, in a tease, she drops her business card on street. Ray gives Jimmy a thumbs up. Jimmy smiles back at Ray.

4. MESSAGE RECEIVED … 15.20 …

a. Marie gives Ken a transcribed message. Ken, now in his room, reads the message which contains a lot of cussing. The gist of the message: “be in tomorrow night when I call or there will be fuckin’ hell to pay.” It is from Harry.
b. Ray stumbles into room. Ken tries to sleep; Ray is being a pain, “I got a date with a gal in the film business…” Ray is excited about this.
c. At breakfast, Ken says sorry to Marie about message; Ray joins Ken, who says “we missed Harry’s call.” “We’re staying in tonight.” Ray: “Only one of us needs to stay in; I did already say I have a date.” So Ken makes a deal with Ray: to wit: today, we will sight see cultural things in return for allowing Ray to go on his date that night.

5. HOLY BLOOD … 20.26 …

a. At a museum viewing Bosch’s LAST JUDGMENT; demons torturing people. Banter about last days when mankind will be judged for all the crimes they’ve committed; who gets into heaven, hell and purgatory. Guilt; sin; hell. Ken realizes Ray is really looking for an answer to this ultimate question. The church of the holy blood. Ken “drops of Jesus blood.” Ray: “Do I have to touch his blood.”
b. Ray on bench and midget doesn’t waive at Ray … dog looks at Ray … he sees children with their parents …
c. Into a FLASHBACK. Ray, in a confessional, tells a priest he’s present to confess to “murder, Father, for money…” Ray shoots the priest but a stray bullet kills the young boy. The boy held a note listing the sins to which he was going to confess: 1. BEING MOODY; 2. BEING BAD AT MATHS; 3. BEING SAD. Ken pulls Ray away.

6. PURGATORY …25.25 …

a. Shots of the autopsy and anatomy … Ray and Ken in museum … (mood setting) where they discuss Dante’s Inferno … “Judged for all the crimes they’ve committed, who gets into heaven and who gets into hell … believe in last judgment and the afterlife … do you believe in that, Ken?
b. Ken and Ray on bench at canal … discussing philosophy … Ken: “I’ve tried to live a good life, but I have killed people, mostly bad people … but I did kill someone who wasn’t bad, but he came at me with a WINE BOTTLE.” Ray: “That can be a deadly weapon, so you were justified.” Ray: He’s dead because of me … that little boy … and that ain’t ever going to change, unless maybe I go away…. Ken: “Don’t even think like that.” [editorial note: this is a key scene; particularly for Ken’s character arc]

7. MY HOMETOWN … 30.40 …

a. Transition to a peaceful shot of a white swan on night water ….
b. Ray dresses for his date; Ken’s expression shows he cares for Ray. [31.45]
c. Ray and Chloe at restaurant; a lot of banter. Ray says he is a hit man; Chloe sells cocaine to film crews. Chloe blows cigarette smoke, annoying nearby diners. “Do I look like I shoot people?” Chloe: “Just children.” Ray’s facial expression? Chloe: Jimmy was on a horse tranquilizer. Ray: “Bruges is a shithole.” Chloe: You insult my hometown? Tell me a Belgian joke. Ray insults her some more with a Belgian child abuse joke; she goes to restroom. The annoyed male diner argues with Ray over the cigarette smoke. Ray decks him. The female diner comes at Ray with a wine bottle; Ray decks her.
d. Chloe returns, sees the mayhem and says “we don’t hit women.” Ray: “she tried to hit me with a bottle.”

8. LIKE A FAIRY TALE … 36.50 …

a. Ken watches TV; he gets a call from Harry. Banter about whether Ray is in the hotel room … Ken goes through dance of Ray being in bathroom; Harry asking “where the fuck were you yesterday?” The ruse of whether Ray is in the hotel room goes on until 39.20.
b. Harry asks about sight seeing “like a fairy tale” Ken: not sure it’s Ray’s cup of tea.” Harry: “what’s that mean, how can it not be his thing. Are the swans still there?” Ken convinces Harry that Ray was only reticent at first. Ken — freezing fog, I feel like I’m in a dream.” The tone of the conversation changes. Harry” “He wasn’t a bad kid, was he? Go to Yuri, who will give you the gun. After the job is done…” Ken: “what job?” Harry: “he killed a little boy … and you brought him in, so if the buck doesn’t stop with him, where does it stop?” Ken, distraught, “it stops with me.” Harry “glad I got to do something for Ray, letting him see Bruges and all. Give me a call when he’s dead.” Ken, in emotional distress, looks out his hotel window at Bruges as a swan passes on the canal below.

9. SOMEONE NICE … 43.20 …

a. At her apartment, Ray and Chloe in the sack when EIRIK bursts in and says “that’s my girlfriend” and puts a gun to Ray’s head. A scuffle; Ray shoots a gun with blanks into Eirik’s eye. Chloe: “He and I rob tourists at times.” Ray, upset: “I haven’t had a shag in months.” She has to take Eirik to hospital. Ray is distraught that his evening with “someone nice” is disrupted. Chloe: “Call me.” (45.50)
b. Ray finds drugs in her apt; a gun and bullets too.

10. DROWNING SORROWS … 47.00 …

a. Ken drinks hard at the bar when Jimmy and a hooker walk in.
b. Ray shows up in bar high as a kite … 4 grams on me and 1 gram in me … Ken wants to get loaded.
c. Ray goes to Jimmy “why didn’t you wave at me on the street …?” “I was on a horse tranquilizer.” Banter with hooker, who says “I came to Bruges to get a better price for my pussy.”

11. CHOOSE A SIDE … 50.40 …

a. At a party doing drugs … Ray asks Jimmy “do you think about killing yourself because you are a midget?”
b. Jimmy — “gonna be a war between the whites and the blacks.” Ken: “my wife was black, but in ’76 she was killed by a white guy, so whose side do I fight on?” Ray karate chops Jimmy; Ken and Ray leave.

12. SUICIDAL … 54.20 …

a. Ken leaves early the next morning to get gun from Yuri … Ray in bed; distressed ….crying. Ken on street in front of Yuri’s apt.
b. Into Yuri’s apt … picks a gun…. Yuri’s house is weird…. gets gun with silencer … Banter about “Alcoves, a good place to murder a man … nooks and crannies, rather than alcoves.”
c. Ken, back at hotel. Marie says Ray gave her his last $200; she can’t accept it. “He said he was going to the park.” [58.10]
d. Ray is on a bench at playground; Ken, behind Ray, observes. Ken readies his gun; sneaks up on Ray. Ken, in Soto Voce: “Sorry.” SUSPENSE BUILDS … Ray pulls gun from his pocket; puts it to his head. Ken: “hey don’t!” Ray sees the gun in Ken’s hand: “you were going to kill me?” Ken: Let’s go someplace and talk about this.

13. KEEP ON MOVING … 1.00.20 …

a. On bench….looked like you were going to go through with it … give me that gun … Ken keeps gun, “You are a suicide case.” Ray: “I’m already a dead man, I killed a little boy.” Ken: “You don’t want to be a dead man … get away and try to do something good, you being dead won’t bring the boy back.” (redemption)
b. Ken and Ray, in hotel room. Ken finds note from Ray, “I went to park so she wouldn’t have to clean it up.” Ken to Ray: “Harry says this trip was to give you one last nice thing before you died.”
c. At train depot. Ken: “Just keep moving.” “Come back in 6 or 7 years.” Ray: Great hit man I turned out to be (subtext: Ray’s desire for suicide not all gone yet.)
d. Ken calls Harry and tells him that Ray is “on the train. I’ll be in the hotel waiting. I know you’ll have to do what you have to do.”
e. Harry, at his home in London, interaction with his wife…beating the phone … Wife: “It’s an inanimate fucking object.”

14. BACK TO BRUGES … 1.07.20 …

a. Ken dresses to meet Harry.
b. Ray on train is arrested by cops over fight at restaurant with the Canadian man; he is taken back to Bruges.
c. Harry on street in Bruges … to Yuri’s … Eirik is there … Harry picks a gun … Yuri to Harry: I could tell he couldn’t kill the guy. Do you want dum dum bullets? Eirik — I tried to rob him … Ray shot blank into my eye. Harry: you’re fault, you allow yourself to be shot in the eye, and you are a poof.

15. CAPACITY TO CHANGE … 1.12.20 …

a. Harry on street sees Ken at sidewalk café. A conversation about “suicidal.” Harry: “and you kept him from solving our problem?” Ken: “the boy has the capacity to change, but not you, Harry. You, Harry, are a cunt now and the only thing that will change is you will become an even bigger cunt, with cunt kids.” Harry: “retract that! Where is Ray now?”
b. Getting bailed out of jail by Chloe, actually.
c. Back to café and banter about alcoves. Ken: “You have to do what you got to do.” Harry: where am I going to shoot you? Ken: Let’s go up to the bell tower.

16. IN YOUR DEBT … 1.17.40

a. They go up the tower; Ray and Chloe at a table at the sidewalk café. Eirik walks by.
b. Usher, “tower is closed!” Harry slugs him; they put chains up and Ken and Harry trek up the steps.
c. Shot of Jimmy in a school uniform.
d. Harry and Ken top of tower….“shame this fairy tale is in Belgium.” Ken: “I’m not fighting anymore.” Harry — pick up your gun. Ken: “I’m totally in your debt; the boy (Ray) had to be let go; he had to be given a chance. So I’m not fighting you and I accept what you have to do.” Harry: then I can’t kill you. But he shoots Ken in the leg.
e. Ray, Chloe, and Jimmy at the sidewalk café, below the bell tower. Jimmy: “We are filming by the canal, you should come along.”

17. LAST CHANCE … 1.23.57 …

a. Eirik sees Ray; Eirik hustles up the tower steps, meets Harry who is assisting Ray down the steps. Eirik: “Ray is right outside, at a café table.” Ken and Harry fight; Harry is the stronger. Harry shoots Ken in the neck. Harry: “You can’t kill a kid and expect to get away with it.” Harry, down the stairs after Ray.
b. Ken struggles to top of the tower. He drops coins to clear the pedestrians below; he jumps off the tower. Ray and Chloe see and hear the splat of Ken’s body as it hits pavement.

18. WILL TO LIVE … 1.29.20 …

a. Ray goes to Ken who, with his last breath, warns Ray that Harry is here; Ken offers his gun, but it is broken, useless.
b. Harry shows; Ray runs; shootout and a long chase sequence; Ray to hotel.
c. Ray warns Marie to leave, “very dangerous.”

19. PRINCIPLES … 1.36.40 …

a. Ray, looking for his gun in his room, hears Marie argue with Harry downstairs.
b. Ray, Harry and Marie argue. Marie says “why don’t you all put your guns down and go home.” Harry: “don’t be stupid; this is the shootout.” Ray prevails upon Harry to let him leave toward the canal so “this nice lady and her baby can live.” A negotiation: Ray promises Harry that he will, in fact, jump into the canal so Harry can give chase.
c. Ray jumps from his window into a boat in the canal, but Ray drops his gun from the force of the fall.
d. Shootout and chase some more … Ray is shot in the gut; bleeds profusely.
e. Ray runs toward the film set … Harry follows, shoots, and a stray bullet hits little Jimmy (dressed in the school uniform).
f. Harry sees what he has done. Harry puts his gun to his head, says “got to stick to your principles” and blows his own brains out.
g. Ray, on a stretcher, goes in and out of consciousness … he says he’ll go to the little boy’s mother’s house and accept whatever punishment she wants … that maybe spending life in Bruges is like being in hell forever. And “I really hope now I don’t die.”

20. END TITLES … 1.41.20 …

A shout-out and bounteous thanks to Mark Furney for working up the scene-by-scene breakdown for this movie.

You can download a PDF of the breakdown here.

What are your general reactions and impressions of the movie In Bruges? Below click on Write a Response and joint the conversation.

I am looking for volunteers to do more movie scene-by-scene breakdowns. Pick your favorite movie, classic or contemporary, and immerse yourself in it by going through it scene by scene. Trust me, this is a terrific learning opportunity and a fantastic way to study a movie’s story structure.

If you’d like to volunteer, let me know which movie you want to break down in this thread Response section.

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