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Created Dec 31, 2008 12:24PM PST • Edited Apr 24, 2013 10:36PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   OK 2.5

   Semi-funny and too precious for its own good, this comedy of disgrace asks us to warm up to loutish and sociopathic characters because they have their “normal” sides. They show occasional remorse, brush their teeth like normal people, one of them even has a normal family. The movie is like a British Sopranos, juxtaposing the sick exploits of modern criminals with their just-like-you-and-me sides. Unfortunately what worked well for Don Bayonne and his family comes across as too mannered In Bruges.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   Colin Farrell easily portrays an amoral crime soldier who’s also a lady killer. If Farrell’s career could consist of amoral lady killers, he’d be Olivier.

   Brendan Gleeson proves himself a consummate character actor, while Ralph Fiennes slums effectively as a peculiarly standards-obsessed crime boss.

   Jordan Prentice, 4’ 1" of obnoxiousness, personifies the dwarf stereotype.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Barely OK 2.0

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    OK 2.5

    The good news is that the movie isn’t slapstick, a misapprehension easy to assume based on the awful trailer that assaulted art house audiences early in 2008. Striving for droll, the movie comes across somewhere between silly and drab.

    The movie does make effective use of its meager plot, doing a slow reveal of the protagonists sociopathic characteristics, and concluding with a satisfying ending.

11. Direction Very Good 3.5

12. Play Bad 1.0

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.8

    Several brutal murders are vividly shown, including the accidental shooting of an innocent victim.

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Fierce 1.9

19. Rudeness Salty 1.9

21. Reality

    Glib 1.2

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.7

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0