Movie Review: Brothers
By Lauren Zima
Brothers is an affecting film about the life of a simple family being torn apart, but it’s this simplicity that makes it more melodramatic than memorable.
Director Jim Sheridan's movie follows its characters separately; Capt. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is a good man and a good marine, but he’s thought dead after his helicopter crashes in Afghanistan. He’s captured, and torture scenes provide some serious squirming potential. At home, Sam’s wife, Grace (Natalie Portman), and his screw-up brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) become close as they try to recover from the loss of Sam while taking care of Sam and Grace’s two daughters.
Maguire, Portman and Gyllenhaal shine here as three standout, A-list, so-on-and-so-forth actors of their generation, but when their dialogue includes a five-minute conversation about who at the dinner table loves or hates peas, there still isn’t much in-depth character or plot development. Grace is especially stagnant, largely reacting to what’s happening rather than ever taking any kind of stand.
Sam does make it home, where he suffers from PTSD and becomes suspicious that Grace and Tommy are having an affair. What’s hard to believe is that, even in his fragile, distracted state, he’s come to that conclusion; the evidence to go on is next to nil.
Indeed, Brothers’ best element is its cast, from the three leads to Sam Shepard, who can always be counted on for a grave performance, to Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare, the relative unknowns who play daughters Isabelle and Maggie, respectively. Madison, in particular, is shockingly good — in one scene she smiles at her now-changed dad when he tries to make a joke to comfort her, but as he reaches down to hug her, she cries silently over his shoulder. (Watch out, Academy.)
And that scene is emblematic of the whole. Ultimately, Brothers will move you, even if the feeling is a little superficial.
Vox Rating: VVV (out of five)
Originally Published Dec. 5, 2009
Photo courtesy of Lionsgate
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