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In Bruges is a often hilarious, sometimes strained, almost tearfully tragic, but always entertaining yarn from first-time director Martin McDonagh. It’s an intimate story of two hitmen, the seasoned veteran Ken (played by Brendan Gleeson) and the first timer Ray (played with Colin Farrell), exiled to the Belgium city of Bruges after a hit has gone wrong.

Though we don’t at first learn what went wrong on the hit, those events weigh heavily on Ray, exasperated by the boredom of Bruges. Ken is turned into a wide-eyed kid, lapping up the fantasy that the city offers: old churchs, medieval architecture, coffee shops, pubs and great beer.

As their time in the city drags on, we learn why the two were sent there from their boss Harry (played by a very plastic looking, yet ferocious Ralph Fiennes). Turns out Ray accidentally killed a kid on that hit. That guilt nearly consumes him, but if not for a midget actor and a sexy female con artist/drug dealer (Clemence Poesy).

It’s a testament to McDonagh’s skills as a writer that all of this never seems too absurd or cliched, even when it actually is. He writes deft word play and the actors chew up each delicious line. Lines like, “If I was retarded and grew up on a farm Bruges would inpress me, but I didn’t. So it doesn’t.” To hear that come out of Colin Farrell is just one of this picture’s delights.

Colin Farrell has never been better. The man has charisma to burn, but directors never really know what to do with him. Here he is supremely funny, consumed with emotional baggage and tiptoes between those two extremes. Gleeson for his part, plays Ken with a sort of reverence. His soul is calm and he is the anchor for the whole picture. It’s his unwillingness to kill Ray (there reason for the exiled vacation) that sets the tragic denouement into motion.

There’s blood, but nothing extreme. You actually feel the violence far more in this picture even if there isn’t much violence occurring. McDonagh makes everything count and keeps the picture moving at a brisk pace, so that when a major coincidence takes place - one that would doubtfully happen in real life - it’s easy to gloss over.

Even if Ray felt like Bruges was the personification of eternal damnation, this picture is far from hellish. In fact it’s quite the opposite.

In Bruges (Focus Features) is in theaters now in limited release. Which means if you can see it, you absolutely should. There aren’t many better movies in theaters at the moment and probably won’t be until the summer popcorn arrives.

Woody Allen has always been hit or miss. I think it really depends on the mood you’re in when watching one of his flicks. It’s interesting that his career has had a resurgence over the past few years. Much of that is due, no doubt, to Match Point. That film was something of a black swan for Allen. It wasn’t a neurotic comedy, but instead it played as a suspenseful, lustful, sweaty crime noir.

Exactly the type of flick you wouldn’t expect from Allen. I suspect the high praise for the film came from two things. One, Woody Allen wasn’t in the movie and two, Scarlett Johansson was finely portrayed on screen as the sex symbol that she was regarded as off the screen. Her sultry performance truly made every man uncomfortable.

Scoop, however, was the usual from Mr. Allen and it should by the lack of care from not only audiences but critics alike. I suspect this was for two reasons. One, Mr. Allen was a central part of the plot as an actor and two, Ms. Johansson reverted back to her dweebish, dumpy personae on film. That is not a solid mathematical formula.

So now he has a new film, Cassandra’s Dream. It stars Ewan MacGregor and Colin Farrell as brothers with debt. A rich uncle (Tom Wilkenson) comes into town with the promise of helping the lads out in exchange for offing one of his business partners. Of course, there’s a sexy woman with questionable motives. The trailer plays like say, Match Point with no Woody in sight. There’s also a propensity for crime, drama and lust.

Cinematical, who have the trailer, says this about the film: “While the brothers are quite unlikable with their wavering morals and crappy lack of common sense, they do have some intriguing layers. Terry is the superficial “bad” guy with his drinking and gambling, but he’s got a much tougher conscience than his outwardly do-gooder brother who is more opportunistic than loyal. Just when you think Ian couldn’t get worse — he does.”

I guess we’ll have to see on December 28, when Cassandra’s Dream hits theaters.