The enfant terrible of Irish theatre, Martin McDonagh, makes an assured film debut with this off-beat tale of two Irish hitmen, hiding out in Belgium after their last mission went disastrously wrong. Ray (Colin Farrell) is tortured by the fact that, not only has he killed a priest, he has also accidentally killed a young altar boy in the crossfire. His partner, Ken (Brendan Gleeson) is simply trying to get on with business. Holed up in an anonymous hotel, the two men await orders from their ruthless boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes). While Ken seems happy to do some sight seeing, Ray hates Bruge and everything it stands for.

Two parts Harold Pinter, one part Samuel Beckett, with more than a dash of Laurel and Hardy for good measure, In Bruges is refreshingly original, veering as it does from out and out foul mouthed hilarity to the downright visceral. Colin Farrell is a revelation here – rarely afforded the opportunity to show his comedic skills (unless you count his ill-advised turn in Oliver Stone’s Alexander biopic) he is brilliant here and had me laughing out loud in several places. Gleeson is always bang on the money and manages to imbue his character with a quiet dignity that speaks volumes. And as Harry, Fiennes turns in a portrait of absolute villainy that is simultaneously chilling and hilarious – a rare skill indeed.

The city of Bruges is itself an important element of the film… and where else will you see a movie that involves such rampant cruelty to dwarfs? All in all, this is a delight from start to finish, with a shattering conclusion that quite simply keeps you on the edge of your seat right to the final frame.