Spring Break
Brothers Bloom: Boys will be boys
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 6/1/09 Section: Culture
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Written and directed by Rian Johnson, "The Brothers Bloom" is an off-the-wall tale of two brothers who take a little longer than normal to grow out of their mischievous stages.
The boys spent their childhoods in a series of bad foster homes with each stay ending abruptly after they pull one of their elaborate schemes.
Stephen, the older brother played by Mark Ruffalo, prides himself in being the playwright who carefully develops the cons.
Bloom, played by Adrien Brody, is presented as a helpless, spineless, victim of his brother's whims to gain a few bucks.
His one desire throughout the entire film is to live a life that is not scripted by his big brother.
Wanting so badly to retire from the conman business, Bloom agrees to participate in just one more scam with his brother - but it turns out to be a lot more complicated than expected.
The story line, as drafted by Stephen, entails Bloom meeting Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a lonely, single heiress from New Jersey, romance her, take her on the adventure of a lifetime, steal her millions and leave her safe and sound where they found her.
It fits perfectly with the brother's motto of 'The perfect con ends with everyone getting what they want.' Penelope gets adventure and the boys get the money.
However, when Penelope quickly sails into the unknown with Bloom, Stephen and their pyrotechnic associate, Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), no one plans for love to truly blossom in the unusual situation.
Presented with a strange sense of humor, "The Brothers Bloom" is a comedy meets film noir.
Johnson calls it a "dark comedy." He said he wanted to mesh a romance, action flick and comedy all into one so it would have appeal to everyone.
He certainly did just that.
It is the supposed danger of the action that brings the characters together and the, at times, ridiculousness of the action that keeps the audience laughing.
With this only being Johnson's second film, "The Brothers Bloom" has tremendous strengths and only a few weaknesses which will surely be worked out with experience.
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