Review of The Brothers Bloom (2008) by Derek A — 24 Jan 2010

Here we have a nonsensical rom com heist story about a pair of methodical con men brothers who adventure out for one final job to swindle a young attractive millionaire out of her money. The Brothers Bloom is fantastic looking.

.. the sets and the costumes are bright and whimsical, and they elegantly brisk you into this alternate reality. Anchored by a strong cast that includes Rachel Weisz, Adrian Brody, and Mark Ruffalo, the film still fails to deliver.

Brody and Ruffalo were solid, and Weisz was a delight to watch despite the believability of her character. Sheltered childhoods don't lead to half-retarded adulthood. It was also really nice to see her cute derriere in one scene, but I digress.

...The ultimate failure of this film comes from the twisty plot that isn't really as ingenious as it thinks it is. Having multiple endings is clever in some situations, but The Brother's Bloom is a perfect example of an annoying way to continue a convoluted story line.

Just when the director thinks he is pulling off a clever twist, in reality his story just disintegrates into a whirlwind of cheap tricks and forseeable turns. It's as if he's saying "Ah ha, look how clever I am" and then the omniscient narrator, for me, cues in the crickets.

Where some might find this story enchanting, I found it to be boring and predictable. Here we have a movie that forces you to think that every word that is spoken in this film is nothing more than a con for a con and that nothing is real.

.. it's all scripted. I'm beginning to think director Rian Johnson is a bit of a con man himself. He sells us a fantastic looking picture with great actors and performances, but there's no sign of a story or even an ounce of heart in this "film.

" I've been conned! I want my money back!