Brothers (2009)

Well, here it is again...another one of those situations where the trailer is actually better than the film itself. After viewing that preview for "Brothers", I had high hopes that it would succeed where "Jarhead" failed in telling the next "Rambo" story (this time about the Iraq War instead of Vietnam). Unfortunately, the film was much too understated and sparse to do anything of the sort.The basic premise of the movie sees a young Marine (Tobey Maguire) supposedly die in a helicopter wreck while serving in Iraq. The wife (Natalie Portman) and two daughters he left behind mourn his death, and are comforted by the Marine's brother (Jake Gyllenhaal). When "Gyllenhaal" and "Portman" get to be a little more than friends, however, the sudden, unexpected return of "Maguire" creates a high amount of tension.Here's the problem: If the film had focused on that description (and the one teased to us in the trailer), I think it would have been a much more memorable film. The conceptual love triangle that could have played out would have had the potential to tread on new ground in terms of military pictures, creating a sense of high drama. Instead, though, the ultimate vision of the film focuses far too much on Maguire's mental anguishes and doesn't allow the relationship drama to blossom.SPOILER ALERT: While presumed dead, Maguire is tortured by his enemy, even forced to kill a fellow Marine in cold blood. Thus, when he comes back home, he is a sort of walking zombie of his former self. He isn't able to reconcile his actions and allow himself to slip back into the real world, and even the hint of a Gyllenhall-Portman relationship pushes him over the edge (before that angle has any time to dramatically build).Sadly, in a way, the acting is actually at a very high quality, with the "lead three" giving great performances and the auxiliary cast doing a tremendous job in rounding things out (the "Dad" and "oldest girl" characters are very interesting to watch). However, director Jim Sheridan didn't seem to be able to decide which film he wanted to make: the one about the effects of torture on a Marine's psyche, or the one about how he fits back in with his family after being presumed dead. Sheridan tries to "go epic" and do both, but ends up accomplishing neither.Thus, unless you can stand a movie in which many themes are thrown at you that are never really fleshed-out or fully realized in the end, I would recommend staying away from this one. Don't let the trailer fool you...it isn't as gripping as it lets on.

'Brothers', is a very good movie about an American officer who is captured and held by terrorists in Afghanistan, and about his family back in the USA - in particular, the officer's wife and his ne'er-do- well, ex-convict brother. The officer eventually returns home but is assailed by personal 'demons'. The last part of the movie reaches startling heights of dramatic horror. I won't say any more, as I don't wish to spoil it for those who have yet to see it.Brothers didn't win any major awards, but I can assure you that the acting by all concerned is absolutely superb and the direction and overall production is peerless. It is a film that will shock you to your foundations and make you realise that 'we mere mortals' are not only fallible but also capable of change – sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worst. It is a must see.

This was incredibly well acted and a powerful drama. The movie itself isn't perfect but the performances overshadow a weak screenplay and strange lack of depth (considering the subject matter)It was the character development that genuinely got me invested here along with a stand out turn from Tobey Maguire. Wow. Jake Gyllenhaal also does a good job and while I like Natalie Portman I felt that her character was kind of flat and aloof considering the emotions her she should have been going through. I actually got more from her oldest daughter who brought me to tears.Outstanding sub cast as well in Sam Shepard and Mare Winningham who round out the layers to this dysfunctional family.Tobey Maguire plays Sam Cahill, a marine who is believed to be killed while serving a second tour in Afghanistan. Jake Gyllenhaal is his deadbeat younger brother Tommy who has just been released from prison and becomes an unexpected source of support for Sam's grieving wife Grace.The movie alternates between Grace and Tommy back in the States and Sam who has been captured and is experiencing starvation and unbearable tortures in Afghanistan by the Taliban. He eventually returns home a very changed man, suffering PTSD and convinced his wife and brother have slept together. The confrontation to this matter is powerful stuff, wasn't sure how it was going to play out. Worth watching just for the incredible performance from Toby Maguire. 9/8/15

The film was enough good. We watch the history of family four-member with father military and uncle(brother Tommy) released. I liked a lot the interpretations of actors, however the direction was mediocre. The director did not show perfectly the attraction between Grace and Tommy. "I wanted focuses more in the force of love and that the life is continues afterwards the "" death" 'of Tommy in Afghanistan. Many viewers are disturbed because of this line : ''You are just mad because she would rather sleep with uncle Tommy than you! '' by Isabelle,the daughter of Sammy. However in the all duration of film you would realise that director accomplished to show the intelligence of Isabelle especially. She is 12 year old, it has sense of space and it begins to understand the people, it is unprompted sometimes and perfunctory but I like a lot her character because he portrays a 12-year-old child without idealization. The film could be still better if they unfolded all them in bigger time and if the director didn't show to us immediately Tommy who was captive and he focused in relation between Grace and Sammy? Imagine how many big would be the contrast for the viewer who would have tied up Grace with Sammy and from the other it would feel pity for Tommy. Also Grace doesn't realizes rightly her role as a mother. She hears her girl say such a embarrassing thing to her father Tommy and she does not speak.I understand that she would preferred this thing and her:sleep with uncle Tommy because I consider the silence as acceptance. Of course is a other void that I realize is that Isabelle is sad because her dad leaves but in 2-month doesn't cry at all while she understands his absence? In general it was a very good film, the only disadvantage is the limited time. See it !!