I am a big fan of In Bruge by director Martin McDonagh. I happened to catch this short after the screening of In Bruge yesterday on Film4. I was looking forward to watch this short and it certainly did not disappoint.The premise of the short is a bit downbeat, about death and mourning. The way each of the characters on the train react to it is what defines these characters. There is a stage-play like feel to the short - with the first act setting up the train scene, the whole act on the train and the last closing act after. While Brendan Gleeson is the only character present in all three acts - he is never actually in control in any, just a mere observer. And yet it's his character which is easy to identify with. The character played by Ruaiduri Conroy (quite brilliantly) sets things in motion mostly unknowingly which exaggerates (or merely brings forth) the reactions from other characters. I certainly recommend this short to anyone who likes wit, emotions and a little eccentricity and can handle some violence along.

One of my house-mates watched this film on a Monday night, a night which I myself usually go to bed early as I have work in the morning. As he put it on, I was just readying myself to hit the sack. However, after watching, intrigued, for the first five minutes I sat down and made myself comfortable for what was one of the finest twenty five minutes of character acting committed to celluloid I have seen for a while.The lead role, played superbly by Gleeson, is a portrayal of a character very much in limbo, being at a point in his life where he is at a crossroads, never sure what to do next. This is until he meets a disregarding young man on a train, less than eloquent but with a mouth like a traction engine. During the journey he invariably upsets several passengers, however it is the tying in of events that truly sets this film apart. Although at times it may seem contrived in its directness in linking different parts of the story, we must remember that this is a short film and needs to be direct in certain aspects.Rúaidhrí Conroy, an actor of whom I've not seen anything of outside this role, shows promise akin of some of the finest young British actors of our generation. His role play as the misanthropic youth is superb, and it is fair to say he steals the show from the undoubtedly talented and far more celebrated Gleeson.If you get a chance to see this film, or even purchase it based on this review, it will not be in vain; a contemporary British masterpiece.

Finally saw this online and wondering what all the fuss is about. Almost whimsical, I couldn't quite believe the darkness at the centre of the story. There are a couple of good lines and the performances are solid – Rory Conroy being the best. Martin McDonagh is a very talented playwright, but on this evidence his directing is a little flat. Film looks and sounds flat too. What struck me about it was the superficiality of it all, the cynicism. However it does have some funny moments and moves along at a brisk pace. I'm not surprised it was looked on so favourably by the academy, picking up an Oscar for Best Short Film – it has hip written all over it. And it is one of the better short Irish films I've seen, complete with twists and double twists and a lot of flippant dialogue. McDonagh is planning a gangster film with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. I'll pay money to see that. He obviously wants to be the Celtic Scorsese. High point a cow explodes. Low point rather tasteless plot line about a baby's death. Brendan Gleeson is in this film.

A bit of fun for the black-hearted, very black-hearted. Death becomes them, all of them it seems, in one way or another. I am a fan of dark humor myself--Sweeney Todd and League of Gentlemen come to mind--but despite having a reasonably strong stomach, this film made me uncomfortable. Make no mistake, it is wonderfully crafted, with outstanding performances, top-notch production values, and a glorious punch line, but it might be a trial to keep your eyes on the screen until the final payoff.I caught this dainty in a showing of all the Oscar-nominated shorts, animated and live action. (and not, sadly, documentary) It is a shame that so few get to see quality short films of this sort. It might be a worthy enterprise for some bright person to market a DVD product line with sets of each year's nominees. Or work something out with Apple to make them down-loadable to digital devices of various sorts. It is a sad thing that we must endure advertisements prior to seeing features. Substituting short films of modest duration would add reel value to seeing films in a theatrical venue. Lord knows, it would be a good thing to provide a bit more justification for the hefty ticket prices.