Brothers
(2009/Lionsgate Blu-ray)
Picture:
B Sound: B- Extras: C+ Film: B-
In the
glut of films about war, the Middle East and
the endless, tired, trivializing media that has gone with it, only a few good
films are getting made on the subject and of those few, some get lost in the
shuffle. I think Jim Sheridan is a good
director, but I was never a huge fan of his and never loved any of his
films. However, Brothers (2009) is one of his better works, a love-triangle story
about a happily married couple (Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman) who are doing
well, but he is an Army Captain who serves overseas and heads out.
When he
is captured and not heard from, she fears the worst and turns to his younger
brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) for help and comfort.
Of course, something more emotionally serious develops. The good captain is alive and has been
captured, unbeknownst to them. What will
happen next?
We’ve
seen this story a thousand times, but the actors here to a good job and the
screenplay by David Benioff is better than his problematic previous commercial
work (Wolverine, Troy)
and more in line with is work on The
Kite Runner. Even with the energy,
talent and chemistry of the three leads, the film can still only do so much and
go so far. Clifton Collins Jr., Mare Winningham and
Patrick Flueger are among the supporting cast and the film holds up for its 105
minutes. Any longer would have been
pushing it, but it is a good film worth your time.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is shot in Super 35mm format and despite
some softness and minor detail limits, is a very good transfer with the quality
only Blu-ray could deliver. Longtime Director
of Photography Frederick Elmes turns in some of the bets work of his career
here. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1
mix is often quiet and dialogue-based, but it is also well-recorded, warm and
has a good Thomas Newman score. Extras
include a feature-length audio commentary by Sheridan and two making of featurettes: Remade In The U.S.A. and Jim Sheridan: Film & Family.
- Nicholas Sheffo
