Sunday, December 06, 2009
A+E, Movies, Reviews

War is hell on these ‘Brothers’

A ShortTakes review

Based on a lauded Danish film, “Brothers” is about the war in Afghanistan’s impact on one family. The eponymous siblings are Cain and Abel redux. Sam (Tobey Maguire) followed their Vietnam vet dad (Sam Shepard) into the Marines, while Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) followed the path of least resistance—he gets out of prison just before Sam returns to Afghanistan. Their stepmother (Mare Winningham) functions as referee at a family dinner that includes Sam’s wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and their daughters, Isabelle (Bailee Madison) and Maggie (Taylor Geare).

Back in Afghanistan, Sam’s helicopter is shot down and Grace is notified of his death. A funeral is held, and Tommy steps up and becomes a responsible adult, helping Grace and acting more like a father than an uncle to the girls.

But Sam is still alive, a prisoner of war undergoing unspeakable horrors. When he returns home, he can’t discuss his experiences with anyone. He suspects Grace and Tommy of having had an affair and lashes out frequently, often for no reason. The frightened girls prefer Uncle Tommy to their own father.

David Benioff’s screenplay makes too much of a generic “to be read in the event of my death” letter and too little of Afghan propaganda videos that never surface in the U.S.

Jim Sheridan’s direction, Frederick Elmes’ cinematography and the acting by the entire cast are first rate, but “Brothers” is less effective overall than several other films about the current war, most of which have failed to connect with audiences.

Even if it doesn’t make a specific anti-war statement, “Brothers” shows the need to take better care of our troops when they come home. 2.5 STARS—Steve Warren