Movie Reviews: "Brothers" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 12-04-2009, 05:08 PM

Movie Reviews: Brothers

Critics are bestowing much brotherly affection on director Jim Sheridan's Brothers, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobie Maguire and Natalie Portman but are stopping short of acclaiming it.

Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun Times awards it 3 stars and praises the performances, the direction, and the script. His principal reservation: "It is too finished."

A.O. Scott in the New York Times also reveals mixed sentiments about the movie, saying that it "lurches between moments of fine, subtle realism and more frequent instances of blunt, blocky overstatement." In the end his conclusion is the opposite of Ebert's: "It has a vague, half-finished feeling," he writes.

Claudia Puig in USA Today awards it faint praise when she calls the movie "thought-provoking."

Virtually all the critics note that the film is a remake of an award-winning 2004 Danish film and several say that the earlier film was more potent.

Peter Howell in the Toronto Star, although praising the actors, nevertheless warns: "Anyone contemplating whether to see Jim Sheridan's domestic drama Brothers would be wise not to see its ... predecessor beforehand."

And Lisa Kennedy comments in the Denver Post: "The original was likened to a Greek tragedy. This reworking has enough tin-eared scenes to suggest a night of overheated theater."

Yet the Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan, who also finds many faults with the production, nevertheless concludes, "Like most war movies these days, it ends on a note that's far from hopeful. But it's good, and wise, and it feels true. Meaning, it hurts."

-IMDB News

isiahthomas · 12-12-2009, 04:26 PM

Natalie Portman is hot but she does some boring movies. I only liked her in Closer with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen and The Professional with Jean Reno.

JamesG · 12-13-2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

Natalie Portman is hot but she does some boring movies. I only liked her in Closer with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen and The Professional with Jean Reno.

If you want a more "interesting" Natalie Portman movie go check out V for Vendetta if you haven't already. Brilliant movie and very well done.

12-04-2009, 05:08 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,140	Movie Reviews: "Brothers" Movie Reviews: Brothers Critics are bestowing much brotherly affection on director Jim Sheridan's Brothers, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobie Maguire and Natalie Portman but are stopping short of acclaiming it. Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun Times awards it 3 stars and praises the performances, the direction, and the script. His principal reservation: "It is too finished." A.O. Scott in the New York Times also reveals mixed sentiments about the movie, saying that it "lurches between moments of fine, subtle realism and more frequent instances of blunt, blocky overstatement." In the end his conclusion is the opposite of Ebert's: "It has a vague, half-finished feeling," he writes. Claudia Puig in USA Today awards it faint praise when she calls the movie "thought-provoking." Virtually all the critics note that the film is a remake of an award-winning 2004 Danish film and several say that the earlier film was more potent. Peter Howell in the Toronto Star, although praising the actors, nevertheless warns: "Anyone contemplating whether to see Jim Sheridan's domestic drama Brothers would be wise not to see its ... predecessor beforehand." And Lisa Kennedy comments in the Denver Post: "The original was likened to a Greek tragedy. This reworking has enough tin-eared scenes to suggest a night of overheated theater." Yet the Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan, who also finds many faults with the production, nevertheless concludes, "Like most war movies these days, it ends on a note that's far from hopeful. But it's good, and wise, and it feels true. Meaning, it hurts." -IMDB News

12-12-2009, 04:26 PM	#2
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	Natalie Portman is hot but she does some boring movies. I only liked her in Closer with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen and The Professional with Jean Reno.