At first, In Bruges appears to rely on plot and character "twists" that you've seen enough times that they aren't really "twists" anymore. The thoughtful hitman. Two contrasting buddies, one crude, the other refined. The comically-menacing crime boss.
What you get here are new twists on these themes. The hitman is thoughtful in truly meaningful and difficult ways. The "crude" buddy may not actually be such a bad guy. The Mob boss's sense of "honor" is both familiar and refreshingly flawed.
Meanwhile, the film truly is "a feast for the eyes".