Friday, December 4, 2009

BROTHERS




Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Tobey Maguire: United States Marine Captain Sam Cahill
Natalie Portman: his wife Grace
Bailee Madison: their 8-year-old daughter Isabelle
Taylor Grace Geare: her younger 5-year-old sister Maggie
Jake Gyllenhaal: Sam’s younger brother Tommy
Sam Shepard: Sam and Tommy’s dad Hank
Mare Winningham: Sam and Tommy’s mother Elsie
Patrick Flueger: Private Joe Willis
Carey Mulligan: his wife Cassie

REVIEW
This is one terrific movie combining a well-constructed character study with exceptionally fine acting. Movies about war and how it can destroy individuals and relationships are too often so predictable; this one is not. This is riveting stuff.

Oh by the way: did I mention the superb acting?

I’ve not seen better performances from Maguire, Portman and Gyllenhaal. In part because their character demands a wide range of emotion but more so because they are just that good and pulled it off beautifully.

CLASSIFICATION
for language and some disturbing violent content.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
One of Tommy’s friend, Sweeney, gets paint dumped down the front of his pants. Sometimes they are completely covered from the waist down, at other times two black splotches are evident.

1 comment:

Eric Davidson said...

it's been a while since i've seen a decent movie at the theater, so 'Brothers' was a welcome surprise; that movie will get nominated for at least a few awards I'm sure