The director of THE BROTHERS BLOOM is what initially attracted me to this film. Rian Johnson created BRICK back in 2005 which was a film noir favorite of mine. He has returned (with a bit more of a budget this time) to create a fun heist movie with Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo as sibling con-men. They hatch a scheme to swindle a billion dollar heiress (Rachel Weisz) yet through the course of there adventure, Brody inevitably falls in love with her. However, they all have crafted a web of lies that has become too tangled to get out easily. We are left wondering what is true and what is false just as much as the characters.
What is good about it: It is fun. The art direction and costuming present us with a world that is closer to fairytale than real life. There is always a hint that we should not take the story too seriously, just as we should never truly trust what Ruffalo says. The story is character driven and we are intent on finding out what choices will lead them to happiness. Adrian Brody has the unique ability to be so sympathetic yet never rolling over into cliche. And Rachel Weisz is quirky, fun, and she exercises impressive comedic chops.
What’s not so good: Like most con-movies, it can be confusing. I was a little lost on where the plot was leading at times, but luckily the characters were interesting enough that I didn’t mind. I think the film avoided cliche so much that it could have actually benefited from a car chase or two. Just something to help us spring board into the next step of the plot with more energy. The film meandered about but ultimately the story is not about the heist, but about the brothers (and the title is still confusing to me…their names are Steve and Bloom. So perhaps it is meant to say the brothers “bloom”).
This is a great movie to see with friends or on a date. The comedy is hilarious and the relationships are touching. You want to go wherever the movie takes you. A solid “B+”.
Most films that are released in the summer months are box office dynamite–in that they draw in audiences. After watching a few of what Hollywood had to offer, I felt a sharp ache in my heart for something deeper. I realized that ultimately the spectacle of Wolverine, Terminator, and Transformers was a drug that provided little sustenance. I therefore went to the indie theater, and my money now goes toward tickets for the underground favorites. I feel like I am giving my lunch money to a small, intelligent dork with a lot of potential instead of the flashy, popular class bully that everyone ultimately dislikes. So may I introduce you to MOON. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is completing his 3 year mission on the moon mining for precious minerals to sustain life on Earth. He is alone, aside from his computer companion GERTY (in the spirit of HAL 9000–and voiced by Kevin Spacey). All he wants is to return home to his wife and child, but his mind is finally reaching a breaking point on the empty lunar surface. Then something happens (as it always does in science fiction). Sam is injured and is rescued by…himself.