The Brothers Bloom

[Carmine Falcone]

Looks a bit like a Wes Anderson flick.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Rian Johnson’s “The Brothers Bloom” Pushed Back To Limited Release In December 2008, Wide In January 2009

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/09/02/exclusive-photos-the-brothers-bloom/

 

[Dark Donnie]

Should be very good......sucks about it getting pushed back.

 

[Hunter Rider]

THE BROTHERS BLOOM plays Toronto in a few days, but here are some exclusive stills for ya'!

 

[Hunter Rider]

TIFF Review: The Brothers Bloom

Spoiler

One of the reasons why I love The Brothers Bloom, is because the film cons the audience. The Brothers Bloom is a story about two brothers, disguised as a love story, disguised as a con movie. The perfect con is where everyone involved gets what they wanted. By the time the credits roll, you will be happy to have experienced a film you weren’t expecting.


The Brothers Bloom have been in the con game since they were young children. Now, along with their speechless explosive expert sidekick Bang Bang, have become the best con team in the world. Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) writes his cons “like dead Russians write novels, full of thematic arks and symbolism.” Now in his 30’s, Bloom (Adrien Brody) wants out of the Con game, hoping to live a real story for a change. But he is lured into one last con, to trick an eccentric shut-in rich woman named Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), out of millions of dollars. But when Bloom falls for the mark, the con begins to unravel.


Comically absurd and fantastically fun, The Brothers Bloom is like a film from another era in another dimension. Weisz is wonderfully cute, and Ruffalo tells a story “so well that it becomes real.” The only problem with Rian Johnson’s follow-up to 2005’s critically acclaimed high school noir indie Brick, is that it is hard to resist comparing it to the filmmakers triumphant directorial debut. And it would be extremely unfair to compare the two films.


Johnson will likely draw comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson. For example, the opening narration is done by Ricky Jay, who also provided the incredible bookend narration for PTA’s Magnolia. Johnson’s use of the swish pan, sharply cut montages, the core brother story, and cast of quirky characters is reminiscent of Wes Anderson. If you’re going to be compared to anyone, Anderson and Anderson are certainly good company. Johnson brings to the table absurd comic moments, sharp and stylish dialogue, and a story with more twists and turns than an elaborate card trick. While Weisz is juggling chainsaws on top of a unicycle, you will believe a lie can tell the truth.

/Film Rating: 8 out of 10

 

[Dark Donnie]

Toronto Review: Rian Johnson's The Brothers Bloom
September 10, 2008
by Alex Billington


Style, substance, comedy, romance, suspense, explosions, guns, con men, Belgians, Russians, Lamborghinis, harps, and everything in between. I don't know how Rian Johnson does it, but he's done it again. The Brothers Bloom is a con film, in short, and is colorfully entertaining and immensely quirky, eclectic, and brilliant, to say the very least. From Brick to Brothers Bloom, Johnson is a very young filmmaker that exudes raw creativity and here yet again it really shows to the fullest extent. To be honest, it was quite confusing, just like Brick, but within the rather short 109 minutes, I was convinced - this was fantastic and pure cinematic storytelling at its finest. Bravo on another success Rian Johnson, bravo!

Brothers Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and Bloom (Adrien Brody) have been con men all their life. This story takes place in a fantastical world where these two brothers can pull of whimsical and elaborate cons, a world you've got to believe in to accept. They're joined by explosives expert Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi) and together make an unstoppable team capable of pulling off conning anyone, anywhere. But when Bloom tries to retire and live an "unwritten life," Stephen tricks him into one last con involving Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), an innocent "rich *****" who grew up alone. Bloom starts to fall in love with Penelope and must figure out whether he's nearing the end of it all or if it's all just a big con he's in.

If you're a bit confused by the story, don't worry, you're not alone, I was too. The only flaw I could find in Brothers Bloom was with the story and how confusing it became. But because this is Rian Johnson, I let it slide and enjoyed everything else that this fine film had to offer. Like with Brick, it took numerous viewings before I could fully understand everything that happened, and for that matter, why it all happened. That's definitely the same with The Brothers Bloom, but that's not to say it's not enjoyable on the first viewing. In fact, I found so much to like anyway, that when the credits started rolling, I had forgotten that the story was so confusing and just smiled. Johnson achieves pure cinematic bliss in that final act.

There are a few things from The Brothers Bloom that really stood out - namely the acting and the directing. Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo were absolutely phenomenal, delivering performances that are now my favorites for each. I don't think Brody has ever been this good, even in Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited or Roman Polanski's The Pianist, but that might just be because I loved his character so damn much. Even Rinko Kikuchi was incredible, often stealing scenes whenever she'd make an appearance. Obviously none of them would've been this good if it weren't for Johnson's direction. It's rare to find a filmmaker that can succeed so well his second time around, but this proves that he's just at the beginning of a lustrous career. Only Rian Johnson can kill a man so elegantly and yet bring him back to life so triumphantly.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/09/10/toronto-review-rian-johnsons-the-brothers-bloom/

 

[PWN3R]

I just saw the trailer for this last night. Surprised I didn't know anything about it, looks really good.

Plus there's some high level of rad-ness going on with the hats here. I would so rock Ruffalo's hat.

 

[tzarinna]

Looks fun, saw the trailer today.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[PWN3R]

Seriously, the hats are all over the place amazing in those pics. Costume designer should be thoroughly thanked.

I love Brody's bowler too.

 

[JLBats]

I've seen it.
I went the opening night at TIFF. Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo and Rian Johnson were all there and did a Q&A. Adrien Brody had a sick beard, Mark Ruffalo was pleasantly foul mouthed and Rachel Weisz had a dress on that made her ass look like solid gold. As for Rian Johnson, when the audience applauded like maniacs for the film's title, it struck me how powerfully this dude's life has changed since Brick came out.

As for the movie itself, it was very, very good, and clever. About 3/4ths of the way through I thought it was getting a little bogged down and lost in its own machinations, but the ending saved it. A nearly perfect movie experience that I really loved.

 

[Hunter Rider]

The Brothers Bloom Moved to Summer

 

[AlteredEgo]

dammit! stop pushing it back!
hunter rider, i blame you!

 

[Hunter Rider]

The Brothers Bloom Movie Trailer #2

 

[PWN3R]

Very fun trailer, the wait for this has been painful. Really can't wait.

 

[PWN3R]

Stunning poster by Zachary Johnson. His website can be found here.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/04/13/gorgeous-hand-drawn-poster-for-the-brothers-bloom/

 

[AlteredEgo]

Stunning poster by Zachary Johnson. His website can be found here.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/04/13/gorgeous-hand-drawn-poster-for-the-brothers-bloom/

awesome new poster, but wasn't really digging the new trailer.