The Brothers Bloom

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane, Maximilian Schell
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two con men brothers (Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo) decide to pull one last con together- to take an eccentric millionaire (Rachel Weisz) for all she's worth. The problem occurs when one brother starts to fall for her and starts to question whether he can go through with it.

Review:

Tim: The Brothers Bloom was a surprisingly wonderful movie. It was a small movie that flew under the radar, but surpassed all expectations, as well as most movies out there. This was one of the most enjoyable, entertaining movies I have seen in a long time. I found myself laughing out loud and having a truly fun time watching it. So many movies fail to evoke any kind of emotion in me, but this movie succeeded in spades. This was a great movie that I loved watching.

As is so often the case, the cast really makes this movie work. I have always been a big fan of Rachel Weisz, and this movie further proved her talent as an actress. This is one of my favorite performances of her. She is hilarious- her comedic timing is perfect. She's entertaining, effective, and connects with the audience. Her performance alone warrants a viewing of this movie. Luckily, she also has help. Mark Ruffalo continues his streak of impressing in nearly every movie he is in. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed him here. Rounding out the main cast, Adrien Brody impresses as well. Typically, I am not a huge fan of his work at all. However, despite my normal negative feelings toward him, he completely won me over. He was very good, and interacted terrifically with both Weisz and Ruffalo. I liked seeing Rinko Kikuchi here, although I didn't think she impacted the movie nearly enough. Still, she has one of the best lines of the film.

The Brothers Bloom works because it is part adventure, part drama, and funny nearly the entire way through. It is rare to see a movie blend all these parts together, yet lose nothing in the process- in fact, each separate aspect of the movie compliments the other. Director Rian Johnson did excellent work behind the camera. He crafted a twisting, exciting, funny movie that will keep you guessing. I was shocked at how much I laughed throughout this entire movie. That is a major achievement.

One of my favorite aspects of this film is its uniqueness. It just felt like the story was told in a refreshingly different style, determined to speak with its own voice. It is not often that a movie delivers a truly enjoyable viewing experience, but The Brothers Bloom does just this. I really, really had a great time with this movie, and it reminded my all over again why I love going to the movies.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



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