It would appear that Bruges, as a tourist destination, has the divisive ability to both charm and disenchant. This conflict of opinion is a driving joke in Martin McDonagh's black-comedy wherein two hitmen are sent, by their Bruges-adoring boss, to lay-low in the city, take in the sights and await further instruction. Capturing the essence of the city is tantamount to In Bruges' success and Carter Burwell's atmospheric score does so in a way that reflects the conflicting attitudes of its characters. Brendan Gleeson's Ken is infected with the Gothic magnetism of the city's churches and waterways and the twinkling piano, drawn out symphony and delicate strike between realism and fairytale represents Bruges as this mystical, old-European quirk. At the same time, the melancholy despondency of Colin Farrell's Ray is captured equally; the mocking, mournful sound of his grief is captured and unremittingly replayed throughout the film as a constant reminder of his crimes. It plays on McDonagh's idea that Bruges is Ray's purgatory and the score does well to exploit the pointlessness of his existence in waiting to be judged. The infrequent use of alternative sounds, like 'Shootout Parts 1 and 2' and 'On Raglan's Road' by The Dubliners, do well to break up the monotony of Bruges' sombre theme but it's Burwell's ability to capture a city's culture in one, effective sound that proves what a great piece of work his score is.
