Brothers Movie Blurb by Shale December 6, 2009 This wasn't really my pick of a movie today. Between rainstorms I just took off for the cineplex and decided to take whatever movie was playing. A lot of them opened this weekend; Up in the Air, Everybody's Fine, Trucker, Antichrist and Brothers. (Actually, on the ride in I was hoping that Twilight would be starting so I could see it again). But Brothers was starting right at the moment I got there and all others would have been a wait, so that was what I saw. Can't say it is an enjoyable movie, unless you are like me and can just enjoy looking at Jake Gyllenhaal for a couple of hours. In fact, I don't like war movies, the last one I saw in theater was Platoon in 1986 and I found it disturbing. The last video war movie I saw was the 2005 Jarhead also starring Gyllenhaal who made that movie palatable. But, this is a current war movie about a Marine, Capt. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) who is about to go on another deployment in Afghanistan. His brother Tommy, (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the wayward younger brother, just getting out of prison for a bank robbery. But, despite their polar opposite personalities, they are brothers and we see a closeness and acceptance of Tommy by Sam; even protectiveness when their father Hank (Sam Shepard) a Vietnam era Marine veteran attacks Tommy's worthless life. So, here's the story. Sam goes off to Afghanistan, gets shot down and is presumed dead by everyone. This is a set up for tragedy in movies as Sam's wife Grace (Natalie Portman) eventually meets another guy. Of course that other guy is Uncle Tommy, who has taken responsibility to help his brother's wife and family. Uncle Tommy and his brother's family In cutaways we see the tortures and horrors that Sam and one surviving private from his chopper endure at the hands of unconscionable Moslem barbarians (forget waterboarding) before finally being rescued months later. Things get tense when a bent Sam comes home with his demons (PTSD doesn't even start it). Of course he accuses his wife and brother of having an intimate relationship and obsesses over that. "Mommy, Daddy Scares Me" Gotta say, Tobey Maguire is not Peter Parker in this flick. They really made him look thin and he was believable as an about-to-snap, stressed soldier (who had a sidearm no less) You know that eventually Sam is going to blow up and you know his brother will be involved. Chill Bro! This movie gives pause to think about those soldiers that we don't count as casualties (the numbers always count the dead - not the wounded). How do we deal with our returning warriors who have experienced too much pain and horror to ever be normal again.
Thanks for another good review. This movie does look pretty hard to watch because the story is so sad. It looks good though, I've been looking forward to seeing it. I didn't realize it was already out.. I'll have to go sometime soon.
agreed, its just a decent movie. its not like saving private ryan or anything which is all war, this movie only has little actual fighting, more of a psychological movie
I guess I was one of the few who rally liked Brothers. Your right though, Shale, anything with Jake Gyllenhaal I am partial too because its just so refreshing to stare at him. I normally hate Tobey Maguire because he is so hard to look at and his voice is just grating to me... but his performance in 'Brothers' was very moving... must give due where it is deserved... I'm also partial to Natalie Portman, I enjoy watching her as well and she is one of my favorite actresses. All in all, I did think this movie was much better than average... but I would have appreciated it more if the drama level was just a little bit higher. Looking forward to see Natalie Portman in 'Hesher' with Joseph Gordon-Levitt next!!!
