'BROTHERS'

Brothers (2009)
- Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father, In America) directed this uneven remake of Susanne Bier's Danish film, Brodre, which was only released back in 2004. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as ex-con Tommy Cahill, who, after his older brother, Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire), goes missing in Afghanistan, comforts Sam's wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and his two daughters, Isabella and Maggie (played brilliantly by Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare). Problems begin once Sam is rescued and confronts Tommy and Grace concerning infidelity with a not so stable state of mind. This film could have been so much better than it turned out to be. I had read the mixed reviews on this film but still wanted to check out it because I was very intrigued by the story line, even though, to tell you the truth, is bit of a rip off of Hal Ashby's 1978 classic, Coming Home, with Jon Voight and Jane Fonda. But once I saw it, it seemed like they put barely any effort into at all. As if they just rushed the whole thing threw it out there without a care in the world. The only engaging performances were from the two children. They were practically upstaging Natalie Portman. Aside from them, I'd have to say Tobey Maguire gives the better performance of the three principal actors, only because his character is obviously the major developer and is the most complex. I think Natalie Portman was miscast for the role of Grace Cahill. She looks too exotic and way too perfect looking to be the wife of a soldier in a small town. The role should have gone to Miss Carey Mulligan (who actually has a very minor cameo in the film as another wife of a dead soldier). This film is unbalanced with the silly comedic scenes, especially when Gyllenhaal is painting Grace's kitchen with Ethan Suplee and the other stooges. And then all of a sudden it dives into the heavy stuff in Afghanistan with Maguire. It just felt silly to me more than anything. I'd expect a whole lot better from Jim Sheridan, whose directed Daniel Day-Lewis THREE TIMES! However, he did follow Get Rich or Die Tryin' with this film, so... I guess every director has his weak streak in their careers. I give this film 2 out of 5 stars.




Sincerely,
FILMBOY - Chris von Hoffmann


ENTRY QUOTE:

"Filmmaking is a chance to live many lifetimes." - Robert Altman