The Brothers Bloom Review
The Brothers Bloom is the second effort from innovative writer/ director Rian Johnson. Johnson is responsible for 2005’s acclaimed high school noir, Brick. At the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, Rian Johnson was presented with a Grand Jury Prize for Originality of Vision for his unique film about a hard-boiled high school detective knee deep in a caper involving the murder of a friend and a drug deal gone wrong. Johnson stormed out of the gate with his debut and, with his follow-up, he uses a bigger budget to craft a film with a bit more flash but just as much artistic prowess.
The Brothers Bloom tells the story of two con men, Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and Bloom (Adrien Brody), as they attempt their final job: to con Penelope, a reclusive heiress (Rachel Weisz) out of her fortune. The film traces the story of the brothers since their adolescence. Stephen has always written intricate cons that are, well, literary. These complex plots feature his brother, Bloom, as the main character who involves the mark emotionally only to leave him or her penniless. The brothers, throughout their career, have become anti-celebrities whose successful cons are celebrated in underground circles. Bloom, seeing himself as socially “crippled” and unable to fashion any real relationships with anyone but his brother, wants out. Stephen persuades him to perform one last con that will take the brothers from New Jersey all the way through Prague and back to Mexico. Penelope, the final mark who prides herself on the various hobbies she has acquired over years of solitude, may prove to be more intriguing and emotionally involved than expected.
Many con films slip into similar traps. The most pressing problem with a poorly done film of this nature is the audience being able to figure out the big reveal before the filmmaker gives it to them. Moviegoers wh0 can see a twist coming from a mile away will always feel cheated. The con film often over-sympathizes with the victim while always finding subtle ways to remind the audience that the con man is the real villain. In The Brothers Bloom, these conventions are thrown out in favor of a more articulate story arc. The script is written for Bloom, a character who, given his emotional detachment, is easy for the audience to emphasize with. We are reminded just how sinister the brothers are not so much by Bloom, but by Stephen. Stephen’s tangles with an old nemisis, the Diamond Dog, remind the viewer just how snarky the business of conning is. There really are no huge reveals throughout the movie, rather, the film paces itself brilliantly and shows the plan unfolding one intricate piece at a time. The Brothers Bloom poses a lofty question for a film in its genre: How does a human being go about feeling emotions after an entire adolescence and adulthood spent lying about everything? The answer to this question is, in fact, the films only big reveal (which, to keep this review spoiler-free I’d encourage you all to see the movie). The film’s plot is meant to showcase the literary detail and percision that Stephen puts into his cons. Stephen, throughout the film, seems to have every single event planned to a T and every possible scenario worked out. The audience knows the basic plan from the getgo so there isn’t a huge amount of guess work and mystery, rather, the film revolves around its central characters brought to life by its top notch cast.
I will offer a small tidbit here about the film’s cinematography, done with expertise by Steve Yedlin (who also photographed Brick). Yedlin and Johnson, as a team, get incredible mileage out of all their locations. There is one scene in particular, towards the end of The Brothers Bloom, that takes place in an abandoned playhouse or theater, that should be textbook for all students of cinematography and photography. The exteriors provide a rich and genuine backdrop for the film.
The script, written by Johnson, is razor sharp. The monologues are poignant and it’s difficult to find a wasted line throughout the whole film. Brody is in top form as the film’s main character (the narrative centers around Bloom). Mark Ruffalo is just whimsical and dark enough as Stephen while Rachel Weisz, without being too eccentric, makes Penelope earnest and believable. The film is nearly stolen away from this fine cast by Rinko Kikuchi. Kikuchi provides much of the film’s comic relief as Bang Bang, a mysterious accomplice that has a strange affinity for the brothers and for outlandish explosions. Kikuchi, while having almost no lines, shows why physical acting, in particular physical comedy, still has a place in the cinema of today. The original score by Rian’s brother Nathan Johnson is a work of art in itself. The score integrates seamlessly into the film providing the perfect emotional underscore and it stands alone as an excellent piece of music. Rian Johnson proves that he is one of the most original voices working today and the Brothers Bloom is both accessible and intelligent.
(One final thought: take notice of an earlier scene in which two of Brick’s young actors make cameo appearences)
