Brothers (2009)

OPENING: 12/04/2009

STUDIO: Lionsgate

RUN TIME: 110 Minutes

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
There are two sides to every family.

Opening Statement
Doesn’t Hollywood have anything better to do than remaking international hits for the American audience? Evidently not, as Jim Sheridan’s Brothers seeks to translate the original 2004 Danish film for people who don’t like to read subtitles. Sheridan remains faithful to his source, resulting in a moving melodrama with outstanding performances compensating for a general air of impatience. Needless or not, Brothers is a modestly rewarding remake, one which only occasionally surrenders to manipulate button-pushing.

Facts Of The Case
Marine Capt. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire, Spider-Man) receives word he must go to Afghanistan just as his ne’er-do-well younger brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal, Zodiac) is released from prison. At first, the presence of Tommy is intimidating due to his penchant for booze and history for physical violence. When Sam goes missing and is declared dead, however, Tommy proceeds to help his grieving sister-in-law Grace (Natalie Portman, The Other Boleyn Girl). While performing odd-jobs around the house, he ingratiates himself with Grace’s two young daughters, Isabelle and Maggie. He also gets close with Grace right when word comes of Sam’s survival in a Taliban prison camp.

The Evidence
The original 2004 Danish film Brodre, directed by Susanne Bier and starring Connie Nielson (Gladiator), is an exceptional drama. Bolstering a tightly written, emotionally gripping story and devastating performances by the three leads, Bier’s film is highly recommended. For better or worse, Sheridan’s film will hopefully garner the original more attention now than it did when it first came out. The 2009 version isn’t quite a carbon copy, as screenwriter David Bienoff (The 25th Hour) makes several subtle—and acceptable—changes to the original narrative, all of which shouldn’t vex purists.

Part of the reason Brothers works so well is because of the director. Sheridan is no stranger to provocative family dramas, helming critical faves In The Name Of The Father and In America. His last effort, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ starring rapper 50 Cent, was such an ugly exercise in narcissism that one wonders what he was thinking when he stopped making dramas in his native Ireland. Brothers isn’t a return to form, nor is it a step backward. Sheridan handles the material well and gets maximum support from his well-chosen cast. His direction is smooth and matter-of-fact, slowly burning to climactic combustion.

Some have lambasted the histrionic approach by Maguire, but I thought he was thoroughly impressive. He offers a mature performance which gets more frightening as time goes on. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Maguire in a non-Spidey role, and he proves once again how underrated of an actor he is. Strongly matching him is Gyllenhaal, as the screw-up brother who begins to embrace his brother’s family for the first time in his life. As for Portman, while she isn’t near as effective as Connie Nielson, she manages to generate not only sympathy but also much-needed warmth. Also offering fine support are Sam Shepherd (Black Hawk Down) and Mare Winningham (Swing Vote) as the elder Cahills.

Several critics, including Richard Roeper, have already called Brothers as one of the year’s best, but I beg to disagree. The film is effective, but it surely isn’t flawless. While Bienoff adequately transfers the themes of the original, his impatience is a major debit. Many points in Act II feel rushed, with the jumping back-and-forth between home and Afghanistan particularly jarring. Beinoff knows when urgency is needed, but he doesn’t give the bonding scenes between Gyllenhaal and Portman enough time to breathe. The raw, honest edge of the original (which was shot on digital video), is somewhat lost in this polished treatment.

Closing Statement
In the end, there’s certainly much to admire about Brothers; if only it didn’t remind one of how much superior the original was.

The Verdict
7/10