This sophomore effort by up-and-comer Rian Johnson, director of the fantastic contemporary noir, Brick, tells the story of a pair of conmen – The Brothers Bloom, played by Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo. They decide to take on one last job, which involves taking an eccentric heiress (Rachel Weisz, as a woman who "collects hobbies") around the world on a romantic adventure. Filmed in Serbia, Montenegro, Romania and Prague.
Mighty Ape
DVD
$12.99
David Mamet, the undisputed master of the conman film, is imitated far less than he should be. So it’s nice to see his influence in Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his polarising debut, Brick. From the opening narration by Mamet stalwart Ricky Jay, through to the numerous twisty con games, it’s clear Johnson shares Mamet’s affection for the way and the world of the conman.
But this is more than just a conman film; it’s also an affected collection of witticisms set against magnificent international locations, an examination of a peculiar fraternal dynamic and an endearingly off-beat love story. And it projects a romantic streak that would make Mamet run a mile.
As with Brick, (whose lead, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, pops up for a cameo), Johnson lays on the noir styling, but it’s much less forced here. As our three main players (with Babel’s Oscar-nominated Rinko Kikuchi along as a reliable fourth wheel) jaunt about the world, you can’t help but get swept up in the film’s notion of international intrigue.
Ruffalo and Brody contrast nicely as brothers – the former all soft-featured and fast-talking, with the latter more angular and soulful than ever. Weisz, who’s never seemed sweeter, develops a nice chemistry with Brody and infuses a role that could easily have been too twee with a lot of empathy.
The surfeit of self-conscious “quirkiness” (a camel turns up) may turn some off and the denouement is too long, but this is an impressively assured second film from a burgeoning director who’s now two for two.
1 ratings and 1 review
This movie is lively at times, it's lovely to look at, and the actors are persuasive in very difficult material. But around and around it goes, and where it stops, nobody by that point much cares. Full review.
A couple of rather Dickensian supporting roles by Robbie Coltrane and Maximilian Schell fall embarrassingly flat as they are more creations of costumes and makeup than actual flesh-and-blood. But then the same can be said for the entire movie. Full review.
The leads aren't only miscast -- Brody over-mopes and the usually wonderful Ruffalo seems out of sorts as a rascally schemer -- but interest in the con plot fades as the director's bag of tricks empties further. Full review.
As much as you admire the stagecraft and the technical skills on display, when all is said and done, that's all it is: a fancy, not-quite-two-hour stunt. Full review.
Noone has commented yet. Sad.