Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009
"The Brothers Bloom"
There can be some real problems with movies that deal with con artists. Plots can be so convoluted that the audience can get lost to the point of giving up or caring about the characters. Another problem is with the characters themselves. Characters in con movies can come off as too smart for their own good or too morally ambiguous to connect with the viewers. Movies can end up duping the audience by being an artsy exhibition of slight of hand instead of a story with depth that happen to revolve around the art of the confidence man. "The Brothers Bloom" is a charming love story that deals with sibling rivalry - rich in characters - they tell their story through con jobs and intricate details. It is a stylish film that almost feels like a period piece but offers just enough clues to let you know that it is a film about timeless figures that live in the present day. Starring a stacked deck of quality actors - Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo - I have to admit, I have never been a fan of Ruffalo in the past, but he turns the tables in this one. Brody and Weisz are great together. Like I said, there are problems with making a con movie but somehow "The Brothers Bloom" avoids the pitfalls and is worth renting.