Brothers

Remakes of films are fun. Especially if you love movies. Filmmakers hate having their art messed with, especially when great films are remade for an American/English audience that can’t stomach subtitles or stomach actors they don’t instantly recognize. Abel Ferrara, the director of the original Bad Lieutenant, threatened Werner Herzog, hoping the cast and crew burnt in hell. Filmmakers are crazy and remaking someone’s film takes ball. However, remakes are a great examples of what a director’s influence can have on a film.

For just a moment Brothers, a new film by Jim Sheridan, flashes credits that it is a remake of a Danish film. Most Americans will never see the original and can’t be bothered. But I hope they do seek it out. The original is a wonderful movie. Influenced heavily by the Dogma movement that went on in Danish movies. The Danish version is gritty, stripped of Hollywood crispness and glamor. This doesn’t make the movie better. Just different.

The new film stars a Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal as the brothers Sam and Tommy, respectively. I remembered instantly that when Maguire messed up his back during Seabiscuit and was considering not returning for the second Spiderman, that Gyllenhaal was going to replace him. I don’t know why that seems relevant, but it is. They’re very much alike and very believable as brothers. Believing that these two are brothers is very important and, ultimately, is what is at the core of this very good movie.

Moreover, the film begins with Tommy being released from jail. Sam picks him up and they have a dinner to welcome back their son or to say goodbye to Sam, who is being deployed to Afghanistan. The film isn’t subtle about showing the genuine contempt the family has for Tommy and how they beam with pride over Sam who is a captain in the marines.

Sam leaves and not long after Sam’s wife (Natalie Portman) is informed that Sam has died in a helicopter crash and is presumed dead. Devastated she consoles in Tommy, who is also in mourning. They grow close and share a kiss. But wait, Sam is still alive! He returns traumatized by something he did in Afghanistan, of which, I will not mention here. However, I will say that I didn’t agree with either film’s decision to show what Sam had done. Instead, I would have much rather enjoyed having the audience wonder, like Sam’s family and friends, what had occurred whilst at war. Dramatic irony is a story telling technique described as, “a device of giving the spectator an item of information that at least one of the characters in the narrative is unaware of (at least consciously), thus placing the spectator a step ahead of at least one of the characters” This is a powerful tool and is often considered to be the most important in Hollywood. It is too bad that the audience wasn’t left in the dark about Sam’s secret and least until the Third Act.

Tobey Maguire is so good in this movie. He’s never been required to show serious depth, but here he is showing the highs and lows of a man damaged by violence and bloodshed. The movie might have been awkward or hammy had the right actor not stepped up. Maguire has upped himself into the category of elite performances this year. Moreover, also important was the performance of Sam’s daugthter, played by young actress Bailee Madison. She is so cute and vulnerable, but shows emotional subtlety unusual for a girl her age. Only ten years old she could have a wonderful career ahead of her if she stays interested.

In conclusion, Brothers is very good. It’s ending comes to all the right conclusions but feels a bit forced. It is a good film which takes a look at the people scarred by war and what can happen to the relationships surrounding individuals not involved in battle. The film arrives at all the right places but I wish the getting there would have been a bit different.

December 2009

Collin Says: B+
You’ll Say: B