Review of The Brothers Bloom (2008) by Ian G — 05 Jul 2013

This is probably the least impressive of Rian Johnson's three films so far, but when the other two he's made are Brick and Looper, it's got tough competition. This is still a fine movie - it's funny and quirky, with a convoluted plot and eccentric characters. It's significantly lighter than his other two films, and in its tone feels almost like something Wes Anderson might have made, though the visual style is closer to toned-down Terry Gilliam.

Like The Sting, Matchstick Men, House of Games, or Confidence, this is a con-man movie, in which characters hatch elaborate plots to fool each other and the audience. The con-men here are Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and Bloom (Adrien Brody), two brothers whose parents were apparently fond of Joyce's Ulysses. Stephen is an enthusiastic writer of confidence schemes, and Bloom is his sometimes reluctant and passive accomplice. They hatch a scheme to con a lonely and awkward heiress (Rachel Weisz) out of a lot of money. And the movie develops from there.

Ruffalo's easygoing charm is used to great effect in this movie, since we're given reason to constantly question the sincerity and intention of that charm. Brody is a lot of fun in that sad, pensive way of his. The surprise for me in this movie was actually Rachel Weisz - while I've always thought she was a decent actress, I've never seen her be this lively or funny. This is definitely my favorite performance from her, and it's a shame it didn't get more attention. Rinko Kikuchi was amusing as Stephen's girlfriend Bang Bang, who doesn't talk but likes explosives. And Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid in the Harry Potter films) had an interesting but underdeveloped role.

Ultimately, the movie does feel more like an exercise in genre and style than any sort of personal project from Johnson; but that's fine, since it's a relatively successful exercise. The direction is clever and lively, and he frequently puts little gags in the background of the screen. It's impossible to say whether the movie is set in the 1950s or the present, thanks to the carefully chosen costumes and settings. Overall the whole thing feels rather arch and artificial, but in an enjoyable way. It's not Johnson's most compelling movie, but it's a fun time overall.