The Brothers Bloom (2009)
Release Date: Friday May 22, 2009 Genre: Comedy Running Time: 113 min. Director: Rian Johnson Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Maximilian Schell, Robbie Coltrane
You want to talk about the great injustices in the realm of the artistic world? Here’s the Rodney Dangerfield of movies this year as far as I’m concerned. This movie’s gotten absolutely no respect and it’s a top notch picture. A great script, a great cast, a descent budget (considering the talent), well written and directed… what is the matter with people I wonder? The matter with people is that this movie really wasn’t advertised properly. If it had been advertised like a Guy Ritchie movie then maybe it would have stood a chance at making most of its money back by the time it got to DVD. Maybe I’m just kidding myself and what does well at the festivals is doomed for despair in the commercial theatres. I don’t know what it is but this film was fantastic and I can’t get over how little money it’s made: three million and change to be exact in contrast to an estimated 20 million dollar budget. I’m really disappointed in audiences.
First things first, the script was amazing. The characters were unique and easy to identify with. Especially Bloom ( Adrien Brody), this character is really the heart of this film as the film is all about his journey and maturation from con man to every man. Bloom is living a life written for him by his brother Stephen (Mark Ruffalo); it’s a life he’s tired of because all of the accumulated life experiences aren’t his but simply those of characters he’s been playing on their elaborate adventure as international con artists. Bloom agrees to do one last con only this last con comes in the form of a woman as odd as they come and as complex as he is. She is Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a shut in millionaire who collects hobbies. Upon their introductions they all embark on an adventure that pushes every character to grow and change. Penelope learns to live by risking instead of living vicariously through collected hobbies and artefacts of culture. Bloom learns that the line between real life and scripted life is often blurred as we are constantly writing our own life stories. Stephen learns that in order to save the ones you love sometimes you have to sacrifice yourself. The comedy has all the elements of great comedies stemming all the way back to Shakespeare: by the end all is made right but we all have to lose and cry for that to happen. Real comedy comes at a price much like the joys of life come with the banes of living. Rian Johnson did an amazing job with the script and as a director he brought it to life vividly and justly. My only regret is that this wonderful work of art will be enjoyed by too few. Some is better than nothing I suppose. A definite must see.