The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 2053 Lost City
"In Bruges" and "Interstellar," two movies that seem completely unrelated, form a strange connection in Anson's mind.

In fact, upon calm reflection, one realizes that such an association is absurd and based on weak evidence; however, to some extent, Anson finds it an interesting comparison.

The core theme of "Interstellar" is time. Lost in the river of time, they lose their perception of the human world. Emotional bonds are the only clue, like a kite string, pulling them back to reality and reconnecting them. In particular, family ties have a magnificent and powerful force.

"The Killer Has No Holidays" is not an example of this.

The movie tells a very, very, very simple story, without any tricks.

Ken and Ray are two assassins. Ken can be considered Ray's mentor and guide. When Ray was on his first mission, his target was a priest. Due to his lack of experience, he failed to kill him on the first strike. During the chase, he accidentally killed a child, which caused Ray to fall into deep self-blame.

At this time, Harry, Ken and Ray's boss and also Ken's savior, asked them to go to Bruges for a vacation and a break, but his real intention was to ask Ken to get rid of Ray.

Harry has a bottom line: never point a gun at a child. Whether it's a mistake or not, if a child is harmed, there must be an explanation and someone must pay the price.

It's such a simple story, but Martin McDonagh's inspiration came from Bruges, and ultimately it was because of that city.

Walking through the streets and among the churches, one can unknowingly lose oneself in the river of time, examining the insignificance and humility of life from the perspectives of time and space.

Normally, assassins have no beliefs, only rules, and these three assassins are no exception. However, their perceptions are completely different when they are in Bruges.

Ken was awestruck by the grandeur of time and the sublimity of faith. For the first time, he seriously examined religion and began to re-examine life.

For Harry, upholding principles and not harming children is the bottom line. He treats everyone equally, without exception, whether someone tries to harm his child or a complete stranger.

So what about thunder?

Lei Wunian is carefree and unattached, a complete scoundrel. He embarked on this path for no reason other than for money. He has no respect for life or living, and is unrestrained, without faith, principles, or perseverance.

In fact, even he himself did not expect that accidentally killing a child would plunge him into deep self-blame and even cause him to torment himself.

Because they lack faith and principles, they cannot find an outlet for the pain of guilt, self-blame, and regret. They are confused and restless, trapped by themselves.

From this perspective, "In Bruges" and "Interstellar" are indeed similar; both protagonists are trapped, imprisoned regardless of time and space. And the final point of the films is consistent: emotional entanglement.

Just as Harry tried to protect children, Ken also tried to protect Ray, who was not only an apprentice but also like a child. He chose to stand up for him, even though Harry was his savior. Ray, on the other hand, found faith, love, and family, which gave him direction in Bruges.

Standing before time and the universe, humanity's insignificance is undeniable, like dust.

So, how should we define humanity, or more precisely, how should we define ourselves?
"In Francs" and "Interstellar" offer the same answer: emotional bonds, which are the only coordinates that define the meaning of life.

So, could we interpret Bruges as the black hole in "Interstellar"? Naturally, this leads to further associations.

In the movie "Lost in Translation," the two protagonists get lost in a foreign land because of the language barrier and fall into deep loneliness. The sense of alienation created by the city and life can not only help people break away from their daily lives, but also inspire different ideas.

The same applies to "In Bruges." Perhaps they can't go into space like in "Interstellar," but being in a completely unfamiliar city can achieve the same effect, drawing people into reflections on life in an unfamiliar environment.

In the story, after Ray's first mission went wrong, although he seemed guilty and confused, it didn't show immediately. He remained carefree and unrestrained, and after arriving in Bruges, he kept complaining incessantly.

When reading the script, Anson thought it was a normal narrative technique used by screenwriters, like peeling an onion, revealing the mystery layer by layer; but now, Anson tends to think that it was Ray's self-hypnosis, consciously avoiding or even forgetting the accident while living in London, but awakening the wound hidden deep in his memory in the completely unfamiliar environment of Bruges.

Does this mean that the film should, like "Lost in Translation," highlight language differences and create a sense of unfamiliar alienation?

Wait, what is the official language of Belgium?
Anson vaguely remembered that French and German could be used here, but there should also be an official language, very close to Dutch but not Dutch.

Thoughts wandered through my mind—

Indeed, working in isolation is not advisable. Sitting at home and flipping through scripts, all you see are a bunch of words. Although you can depict the character's image through dialogue, it is ultimately flat and monotonous, unable to show the character's three-dimensionality, just like the difference between shooting in a studio and shooting on location.

Now Anson is even more certain that his decision to leave Los Angeles and rejoin the film crew was the right one, and his entire perspective and mindset have opened up.

Standing on the streets of Bruges, truly walking through the neighborhood, feeling the changes in temperature, air, and perspective—this is something that cannot be described by imagination. Not only as an actor, but also as an ordinary tourist, I quietly integrated into the daily life of this city.

Now, Anson understands where the nickname "Venice of the North" comes from. The city is crisscrossed by canals, with boats sailing on the waterways, and the buildings seem to float on the water. It is even more like Venice than Amsterdam, except that it lacks the view of the sea around a corner.

But... it was chilling.

Although it is already March, California seems to have skipped spring and is experiencing summer, but Bruges is still lingering in winter. The city, built along the water, is shrouded in a biting cold, and the scenery is covered with large swaths of gray, making it look dull and gloomy.

As soon as I turned a corner, a blast of cold wind hit me, and goosebumps on my skin stood up and screamed.

No wonder! Despite being called the "Venice of the North," Bruges doesn't attract nearly as many tourists. People living in Europe need long hours of sunshine and bright sunlight. If they really want to experience the throngs of tourists in Venice, they can go directly to Venice; there's no need to come to Bruges.

"Anson!"

The reminder from the security personnel behind him pulled Anson back to reality. He turned around and saw a little guy wobbling behind him.

(End of this chapter)