Customer Reviews

Brothers Bloom [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Whimsical, sentimental, colorful, and both funny and awkward, THE BROTHERS BLOOM is original in its context and characters even if the plot itself is relatively predictable. The tale of two brothers who learn at an early age their skill at pulling off confidence schemes (all in the film's well designed and funny first 10 minutes). They continue to run cons into their early thirties when Bloom (Brody), the younger of the two, is faced with a bit of a quarter-life-crisis and decides to quit conning alongside his older brother Stephen (Mark Ruffalo). Of course he returns on the premise of helping Stephen carry off 'one last job,' the most glaringly cliched element in the entire film. All is forgiven however as the cast of characters unfolds, and director Rian Johnson rolls out more story arc. We meet Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), a semi-mute Asian woman with a penchant for blowing things to pieces and Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), a billionaire heiress & collector of strange hobbies. Weisz is convincingly awkward, funny, intelligent, and ultimately lovable. Weisz, Brody, and Ruffalo give good performances but are still all outclassed by Rinko Kikuchi's portrayal of Bang Bang. She communicates much with few to no words. She is the master of the subtle facial expression and she singlehandedly raised this film from 3 stars to 4 for this viewer.

Rian Johnson's directorial style resembles Wes Anderson's, but with more of a penchant for sweetness. THE BROTHERS BLOOM is littered with sentimental twists, moments, and visuals. Johnson's craft is still developing, with his this, his sophomore effort, falling slightly short of his wonderful first film Brick. The gentle goodnaturedness of the film is surprisingly refreshing in a movie marketplace littered with grit, angst, and cynicism. I think this is why the film scored so poorly with paid reviewers; they were too afraid of seeming soft by liking the movie and being branded as 'sentimental.' The film has a sweetness to it that may turn off some viewers, but to me is was a nice change of pace from the typical Hollywood offering.

As the film progresses it does a decent enough job of not revealing too much and providing the viewer a plausible suspension of disbelief. There are a few moments that don't ring true (the first encounter with Diamond Dog at the bar for example--actually I didn't like the Diamond Dog character at all and thought he was superfluous to the plot and movie as a whole) but they are few and far between. My strongest criticism of the film is that Johnson, Brody, and the rest of the cast know how clever certain elements of the film are, and they let the audience know that they know. Clever is fine, but I don't need to be reminded every ten minutes that the movie is oh so smart. Another confusing plot element is Penelope's seeming inability to drive a sports car--this from a woman who has mastered more than a few difficult hobbies including pinhole photography and martial arts!

Overall this is a very enjoyable movie if you appreciate warmth in film. It's sentimental. It's bright and fun and intelligent. Viewers who prefer their cinema to be dark and brooding should probably skip this one and watch Mystic River or The Dark Knight instead. However, if you loved The Life Aquatic you'll probably love THE BROTHERS BLOOM.

4/5 Stars. Well worth renting or even owning.

For all people who love the beauty of awkwardness and a wonderful dialogue between characters, this movie is for you. The humor and charm of the first half of the film is only made more enjoyable by the heartfelt latter half. Enchanting performances by all particularly the short appearances of The Brothers in their youth, though Brody, Weiss, Ruffalo, and Kikuchi all deserve acclaim.
For some reason movie critics tanked this gem, but the people who went to see it tend toward rave review. Perhaps the critics weren't paid for a positive opinion in a timely manner, or maybe they just can't let themselves enjoy a piece of cinema that isn't some crappy Hollywood remake. See with friends, and I hope you enjoy it as I did.

Whimsical, sentimental, colorful, and both funny and awkward, THE BROTHERS BLOOM is original in its context and characters even if the plot itself is relatively predictable. The tale of two brothers who learn at an early age their skill at pulling off confidence schemes (all in the film's well designed and funny first 10 minutes). They continue to run cons into their early thirties when Bloom (Brody), the younger of the two, is faced with a bit of a quarter-life-crisis and decides to quit conning alongside his older brother Stephen (Mark Ruffalo). Of course he returns on the premise of helping Stephen carry off 'one last job,' the most glaringly cliched element in the entire film. All is forgiven however as the cast of characters unfolds, and director Rian Johnson rolls out more story arc. We meet Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), a semi-mute Asian woman with a penchant for blowing things to pieces and Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), a billionaire heiress & collector of strange hobbies. Weisz is convincingly awkward, funny, intelligent, and ultimately lovable. Weisz, Brody, and Ruffalo give good performances but are still all outclassed by Rinko Kikuchi's portrayal of Bang Bang. She communicates much with few to no words. She is the master of the subtle facial expression and she singlehandedly raised this film from 3 stars to 4 for this viewer.

Rian Johnson's directorial style resembles Wes Anderson's, but with more of a penchant for sweetness. THE BROTHERS BLOOM is littered with sentimental twists, moments, and visuals. Johnson's craft is still developing, with his this, his sophomore effort, falling slightly short of his wonderful first film Brick. The gentle goodnaturedness of the film is surprisingly refreshing in a movie marketplace littered with grit, angst, and cynicism. I think this is why the film scored so poorly with paid reviewers; they were too afraid of seeming soft by liking the movie and being branded as 'sentimental.' The film has a sweetness to it that may turn off some viewers, but to me is was a nice change of pace from the typical Hollywood offering.

As the film progresses it does a decent enough job of not revealing too much and providing the viewer a plausible suspension of disbelief. There are a few moments that don't ring true (the first encounter with Diamond Dog at the bar for example--actually I didn't like the Diamond Dog character at all and thought he was superfluous to the plot and movie as a whole) but they are few and far between. My strongest criticism of the film is that Johnson, Brody, and the rest of the cast know how clever certain elements of the film are, and they let the audience know that they know. Clever is fine, but I don't need to be reminded every ten minutes that the movie is oh so smart. Another confusing plot element is Penelope's seeming inability to drive a sports car--this from a woman who has mastered more than a few difficult hobbies including pinhole photography and martial arts!

Overall this is a very enjoyable movie if you appreciate warmth in film. It's sentimental. It's bright and fun and intelligent. Viewers who prefer their cinema to be dark and brooding should probably skip this one and watch Mystic River or The Dark Knight instead. However, if you loved The Life Aquatic you'll probably love THE BROTHERS BLOOM.

4/5 Stars. Well worth renting or even owning.

This tale of two young orphaned brothers who become two of the world's greatest con-men is filled with quirky charm. The youngest brother, Bloom (yes, his name is Bloom Bloom) wants out of the con-game because he cannot stand the never ending dishonesty of a life lived as a story--a well written con crafted to perfection by his older brother, Stephen. The eldest Bloom then seeks to make "one final con" to give his brother what he wants: a life unwritten.

The film is ultimately about writing your own story, making your own life, and makes an inexplicably intentional blunder by letting the audience in on the con's ultimate payoff too early in the plot. In an effort to make up for this reveal, the film's plot becomes so muddled that both the characters and audience no longer know what's part of Stephen's con and what's real. We essentially become like Bloom and distrust everything. A crafty bit of character transference to the audience by writer/director Rian Johnson, but as an audience member it doesn't make for an overall enjoyable movie going experience not knowing which character moments to invest in emotionally. This especially makes for an uneven ending.

However, The Brothers Bloom may been uneven and flawed, but it's overall message that life is an adventure, a story we write ourselves, is a tale we should all hear and hopefully learn from.

This is a fun little film. The idea that a story of control and bigger issues was written around a con is a interesting story line. The movie itself is a cute con with fake endings and lots of fun. It does take on some life issues. Is your life being controlled by someone who loves you or do you enjoy the freedom and pain of writing your own script. The idea that the writer of the script (older controlling brother) having to die to free his brother is intriguing. I am sure deeper stuff is present in this movie and a thoughtful person can have loads of fun just trying to pick up the angles in the picture. It is just a fun movie more than all. The "mark" is well played by a zany Rachel Weiz. Brody and Ruffalo do a great job too.

I see from Box Office Mojo that this wonderful creation from the mind of writer/director Rian Johnson made a disappointing $3.5m in (US) domestic business. That's a shame - this is a really enjoyable, smart, stylish movie that is a wicked blend of drama and comedy. It blows me away that this most inventive of films sprung from one man's fertile mind. My plan is to go back and rent Johnson's debut film, Brick, a favorite of many a movie-watcher.

Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel Weisz are three actors to whom I give the benefit of the doubt: I'll watch a movie they are in simply because they'd had the judgment to be in it. Mark Ruffalo, for example, isn't going to up suddenly and get in a film that has him clambering onto a hurtling asteroid to save the planet Earth. He's in quality projects. And Rachel Weisz is like Tina Fey: a sex symbol for those whose lips don't move when they read. She's never been more adorable than she is here - most notably in a hilarious sequence in which she displays to Brody all the things she's learned while holed up in her mansion over the years: languages; ping-pong; classical piano; rap (over-the-top goofy); break-dancing; karate; juggling (on stilts with chainsaws no less)...you name it. As Brody's character warns his scheming older brother (Ruffalo) a couple of times: "She knows _lots_ of things." Brody's character is meant to find Weisz's Penelope irresistible. And, she is. In spades.

How smart is Johnson's script? Smart enough where he could conjure up and act on this thought: "Gee, I'd really like to get Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) into my movie even though she speaks not a word of English." Thus, he writes the character of 'Bang-Bang.' I guarantee you he wrote that part thinking "I'm putting Rinko Kikuchi in my movie," not "Hmmm...who's going to play 'Bang-Bang'?". Her almost-wordless appearance - save a couple of epigrams and one karaoke routine - is a shtick that never gets old.

The deleted scenes on the DVD are well-worth watching with Johnson's commentary turned-on. It makes you more fully appreciate just how much thought he put into this under-appreciated gem.

Rian Johnson created a great modern day noir film (which was also his debut as a director) with Brick that was really enjoyable. When the word about The Brothers Bloom started making its rounds, it immediately reeled me in. Johnson's style in The Brothers Bloom seems to almost mimic Wes Anderson's at times as several scenes (especially the first ten minutes or so) have a similar feel that seem to be shot in the same way you'd see in an Anderson film. The film also has a Kiss Kiss Bang Bang feel to it with how colorful every shot is. The tone was similar in both films as they both had humor as an underlying tone amongst a dramatic adventure revolving around crime. This film is just a real pleasure to look at. The cinematography seems to tell a story all on its own as every shot seems to be done in a unique way and everything is so vividly colorful.

Every factor of the film is strong. The story isn't entirely original as we've all heard con men stories before, but the way the story unfolds and the development of the characters involved makes it a new experience. The dialogue is also top notch. Nothing stuck out as being cheesy or hokey. Every line spoken was either witty, charming, or something you'd expect to hear in everyday conversation. So it was realistic and natural. The entire cast has to be the film's strongest point though. There doesn't really seem to be a character that's wasted or isn't used to their full potential. Rachel Weisz does steal the show though. Her character is so charismatic, outgoing, and eccentric that she just steals every scene she's a part of.

The Brothers Bloom is one of the best films to be released this year, which is a shame since it seems to have a limited release. It offers something for everybody looking for a good time at the movies whether it's an adventure that will take them around the world, romance between two of the central characters, an oddball character that's great comedic relief, the development of both brothers as characters as their crime of swindling people as con men causes drama, and even plenty of explosions to satisfy the action junkie. The conclusion of the film is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as well. The Brothers Bloom will probably be overlooked by the many assured blockbusters coming out this summer, but it comes highly recommended from me and should be on everyone's must see list.

Got the movie because of the cast. Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo any one of them is watchable but all three together was a must see in my book.

A story of con men brothers who grew up perfecting the con game and crafting the perfect story. Well, one brother anyway. Ruffalo writes the scripts and Brody fumbles through more and more complicated plots hating the game and detesting himself for playing it. With the promise of an end in sight they agree to one more con before parting ways.

The con involves an eccentric little rich girl (Weisz) who apparently has a stable full of the identical car because as she crashes one another is delivered in its place. After crashing said car into Bloom (Brody) she becomes intrigued by him and his story. She is a very talented self-taught woman with a thirst for adventure. This new con, new script doesn't quite end up the way it was intended to end.

Great acting. The cast must have had a blast. And this is a quirky almost whimsical film with an old fashioned feel. It reminded me of Pushing Daisies if you had an opportunity to ever watch that little television gem. Weisz has a few interesting scenes, one a little embarrassing that puts it in the "not for kids" category. (Think the diner scene in Harry and Sally but on a train.) Though kids would probably not be real interested in the slower pace of the film, so that might be a moot point.

Be warned. As charming as this campy quirky adventure is, the pervasive thick vein of melancholy almost chokes it at times. Bloom grows so embittered he is willing to chew his leg off to escape the trap he's in. Enter his brother who loves Bloom enough to write the ultimate script.

The "Brothers Bloom" has a great cast and fine acting.

It has lush, amazingly varied scenery--St. Petersburg, Prague, Mexico, Montenegro, Japan, etc.

It has decent direction.

But it doesn't work. The problem is the writing. The movie can't decide whether to be a Romantic Comedy, a Romantic Tragedy, a Caper movie, a Rival Brothers movie, a Character Study, or any of several other things.

It ends up trying to do all these things, and doing them all badly.

Throwing in quirky characters helps, but only temporarily.

Ultimately, the movie lacks energy. Lacks tension. Lacks conflict. Lacks suspense. Lacks coherence.

It has lots of ideas, lots of (paper-thin) plot, lots of beauty, even lots of interesting lines, but none of these work together.

Pity.

It is no accident that by far the most interesting character is Bang Bang--who has no lines.

Without a coherent script, no movie can succeed.

This movie is a con.

THE BROTHERS BLOOM purports to be a heist movie, a "who's conning who?" trick, an homage to George Roy Hill's THE STING (1973) or Frank Oz's DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (1988).

But BLOOM is actually a film about how people form their life narratives...how and why we write the stories of our lives.

Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and Bloom (Adrien Brody) have been con-men since childhood. Now, they're all grown up. And Bloom has had enough. He wants out. And his big brother has a plan...an intricately plotted, magnificent plan...one last con.

Only...Bloom falls for the "mark," beguiling American heiress, Penelope (Rachel Weisz). And all bets are off.

Fans of Rian Johnson's BRICK (2005) will recognize the director's stylish directing and whip-smart writing from frame one. Indeed, Johnson is the star of this feel-good travelogue (though Ruffalo, Brody, and Weisz are most compelling). Johnson is spinning a yarn about spinning yarns. And his conclusion--that "there's no such thing as an unwritten life....only poorly written ones."--is inspiring.

BLOOM is a fascinating, quickly-paced film that occasionally slows in its good-natured quirkiness. And yet, the sum of its parts is more rewarding than most of its con-film predecessors.