The Brothers Bloom (Johnson, 2009)

[animatedude]

30th July?! argh...i was thinking this would come out this month,at least.

[kaytee]

UAE Release Date  - 27th August.

Welcome Ramadan

[animatedude]

so..did anyone watch this?

[shariqq]

Did it get released here?

[madali]

The Brothers Bloom (Johnson, 2009)
IMDB Link

“The Brothers Bloom” is a bit of a strange movie. It’s not strange in its plot or characters, but in its tone, which is a bit off. But I guess it makes more sense when you realize that the director made the film “Brick”, another movie with a strange tone.

Bloom (Adrien Brody) and Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) are two brothers that have been involved in cons since when they were kids. Bloom is the younger brother and wants to get out of the constant cons they pull on the world and wants to get away from the overbearing, clingy older brother. He gets away, is found, and is pulled in for one final con, which involves a beautiful woman called Penelope (Rachel Weisz).

So far, nothing out of the ordinary. Cons over cons, a brother who wants to get out, a beautiful lady, and some plot twists that are done before. However, what sets the movie apart is that the film itself almost feels like a con. Stephen tells Bloom that, “The perfect con is one where everyone involved gets just what they wanted.”

And that’s what the film feels like. The director has constructed the film like a con and tries to give us everything we want, disputes, action, love, and so on, all set in a world that, like “Brick”, never feels really real, whereas “Brick” was a fusion of high school films and film noir, “The Brothers Bloom” feels like a con-film without the big heist, without the plannings, without the big pay-off, instead it is a con-film about conning itself, the act of exaggerated tales and giving everyone involved just what they wanted.

I will again bring up “Brick”, because it was a movie that I respected but ultimately did not fully work for me. I have the same feelings towards “The Brothers Bloom”.

“There is no such thing as an unwritten life, only a badly written one.”
3/5

[ayaa1977]

What I latched to in this film is the brotherly love and the idea that no one has your back like your brother. Stephen may be Shady, bossy, and annoying, but you get that his main purpose and motivation in life is take care of Bloom and to make him happy. The bittersweet ending is the logical conclusion for such a running theme. The film's tune is a bit off as Mad say, and you can't pinpoint what is exactly off about it. But the film has way more positive about it than negative.

The way the shot is framed and shot is beautiful. The outdoorsy-ness of the film and shooting the scene in such a beautiful places around the world is also refreshing, and my God how amazing is Rachel Weisz! She steels the scene whenever she is on. Mark Ruffalo offers another solid performance and further prove how reliable he is. I am still not a big fan of Adrien Broody, that being said, this is the kind of role he was born to play.

Rian Johnson is an exciting director, versatile and visionary. After his spin on noir in Brick, he goes to con artist genera, and his following film Looper will be a Sci-Fi. He is this generation Danny Boyle sort of speak. He also will be tackling an episode of Breaking Bad, which is continuing its amazing run stronger than ever with it is third season right now. Rian Johnson is one director I will be always eager to see what does he has to offer.  


My Rating: 4/5

[X.]

I like your comparison of Danny Boyle and Rian Johnson. Although I do not think either is visionary, they are certainly versatile.

[madali]

Well, this was strange. I was just watching the film, and I felt like I had watched it before and I assumed I had seen the trailer, and when it was 30 minutes into the film, I felt more sure, so I checked the forum, and yep, I've watched it.

I guess this is why I keep a record of films I watch, because otherwise i'd probably be watching the same films over and over again, without realizing I had watched it before it was too late. What an unmemorable film, I stopped the film, but i don't really remember what happens next.

[fizz]

I'm not surprised this happened to you. We watch far too many films - and forgettable one's like The Brothers Bloom are bound to be deleted from memory for being so bland.

[X.]

I remember seeing BROTHERS BLOOM and still remember it with affection. Eccentric but sincerely crafted. I began to like Rian Johnson after.

[madali]

It doesn't help that sad-eyebrows Brody talks and acts like that in almost all of his films

[shariqq]

sad-eyebrows Brody

Oh - never noticed his eye-brows, coz I never get past the nose! His nose covers the entire screen!

[ayaa1977]

Shariq, enough with Brody's nose already, none of us is a model looking specimen, except for Oz may be 

[shariqq]

Shariq, enough with Brody's nose already, none of us is a model looking specimen, except for Oz may be 

I wasn't talking about a forum member. I was talking about an actor.

[ozzylogic]

Shariq, enough with Brody's nose already, none of us is a model looking specimen, except for Oz may be  

Aww, so sweet!