In Bruges, By Mara L.

Jens, I read your piece on the movie In Bruges. I rented it myself, and it resonated greatly with me. It’s a truly funny movie, something I’ve come to appreciate more than I used to. And yet, it reminded me almost too much of the heavy layer of boredom weighing down on life in many small-cum-beautiful European towns. I guess I’ve become addicted to the irreverent and quick-paced spirit of Manhattan. Think of all the Sundays in my teenage life at home in Italy, feeling I could go straight back to bed because there wasn’t going to be anything to do that I hadn’t done a 1000 times already. And think of the parental advice to go and see (yet again) one of the wonderful museums and parks in my hometown. It made me sick, though admittedly, something must have rubbed off or else I wouldn’t be an architect. In any case, the movie has my highest recommendation for all ex-pat Europeans who are struggling with reverse culture shock when they go back home, and who still have a resilient love in them for the beauty of bygone times, set into stone in many of the places the likes of me come from. Five stars. *****