What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedIn Bruges
Martin McDonagh · Film · 2008
If you loved In Bruges, start with Barry (Alec Berg, 2018) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to In Bruges across media.
What hooked you in In Bruges was the way it expertly balances the absurdity of criminal life with profound existential dread.
Books on the same thread
Crime and Punishment
Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevskii · Book · 1968
Shares a thread with In Bruges: Redemption.
Just as the hitmen in In Bruges struggle with the heavy weight of their past actions, Raskolnikov faces a similar internal torment after his moral transgression in this classic.
Atonement
Ian McEwan · Book · 2007
Explores: Guilt and Atonement, Childhood Trauma, Class Conflict.
If the crushing burden of guilt in In Bruges resonated with you, this narrative offers a similarly deep exploration of how one mistake alters a life forever.
On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts
Thomas De Quincey · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with In Bruges: Black comedy.
This essay captures the same twisted, intellectualized take on violence found in In Bruges, treating the act of murder with a dark, satirical, and strangely aesthetic curiosity.
Wise Blood
Flannery O'Connor · Book · 2007
Shares 2 threads with In Bruges: Redemption, Guilt.
Much like the characters navigating an existential crisis in In Bruges, this story probes the tension between religious fanaticism and the desperate search for meaning in life.
Series on the same thread
Barry
Alec Berg · Series · 2018
Shares 3 threads with In Bruges: Redemption, Existential Crisis, Dark Comedy.
The protagonist in this series mirrors the hitmen from In Bruges, caught in a cynical cycle where moral ambiguity and existential dread define his daily professional struggle.
Mr Inbetween
Scott Ryan · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with In Bruges: Dark Comedy.
This series perfectly mirrors the grounded, working-class criminal perspective of In Bruges, showing the difficult friction between maintaining personal relationships and performing cold, violent acts of contract killing.
The Bridge
Hans Rosenfeldt · Series · 2011
Explores: Partnership, Cross-Border Crime, Social Commentary.
The odd-couple partnership and the bleak, atmospheric tone of this mystery will feel familiar to anyone who enjoyed the contrasting personalities trapped together in In Bruges.
Fleabag
Phoebe Waller-Bridge · Series · 2016
Shares 2 threads with In Bruges: existential crisis, Dark Comedy.
While the setting differs, this show captures that specific In Bruges energy where a character uses dark, biting wit as a defense mechanism against overwhelming personal grief.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
If In Bruges hit, Small Town Murder shares the thread.
Crime in Sports
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: athlete misconduct, legal absurdity, scandalous behavior.
Like the humor found in In Bruges, this show expertly mines the absurdity of criminal behavior, proving that even the most serious transgressions can be explored through comedy.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of In Bruges?
In Bruges follows two hit men named Ray and Ken who are sent to Bruges, Belgium, to wait for further instructions. During their stay, they contemplate their past assignments while waiting for their next mission, which ultimately takes an unexpected turn for Ken.
Are Ray and Ken the main characters in In Bruges?
Yes, Ray and Ken are the central figures in In Bruges. They are two hit men stationed in Bruges, Belgium, where they spend their time reflecting on their previous professional assignment while awaiting orders for their next task.
Where does the movie In Bruges take place?
The film In Bruges is set in the city of Bruges, Belgium. The story centers on two hit men, Ray and Ken, who are sent to this location to wait for their next mission after completing a previous assignment.
Is the mission in In Bruges what Ray and Ken expect?
No, the mission is not what Ken expects in In Bruges. While he and Ray spend time in Belgium discussing their past work and waiting for instructions, the eventual revelation regarding their upcoming assignment proves to be different from what Ken anticipated.