The Other Brian's Thoughts on The Brothers Bloom

Thank you Brian for setting up this whole movie shebang and thank you Jared for introducing me to this film! The opening sequence of the film might be one of the best openings that I've ever seen. Told like a fable, complete with metered verse and rhyme, it beautifully introduced us to the characters and the roles they would still be playing 25 years later. I was so giddy about the clever opening that the movie could have been mediocre and I would probably still have loved it.

It was an intriguing con movie because it was so easy to see where the film was headed, even though the details took their typical convoluted way of playing out. Fortunately, I love misunderstood eccentrics, love stories, family bonds and silliness enough that I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. In fact, maybe I enjoyed it more that way. We all knew Bloom would finally fall for his mark and isn't that what Stephen really wanted all along?

I loved the family story of the film. Stephen was a con man. Bloom didn't really have a choice. His big brother was all he had. But the relationship went both ways. Stephen could sense Bloom's dissatisfaction and therefore continually upped the game in an effort to impress his brother. Stephen recognizes Bloom's desire for love (working a love interest for Bloom into his cons) but doesn't want to let him go straight and be left alone. We're then all left to dance the tightrope between the desire to not let down the ones we love while finding our own way in the world. It is this essential conflict that makes the cons so interesting. They reveal themselves while hiding behind their deception. It's a beautiful conflict.

The two movies that came to mind when I was watching this movie were Benny and Joon and Punch Drunk Love. It was a bit period piece meets modern slap stick and a bit eccentric love story. I love me a good eccentric love story. Thinking back I fear that the opening sequence is a little bit of those cheesy black and white pictures of little kids in oversized clothes holding hands that I see at the mall, but honestly I don't care. It was just that dern cute.

I think the filmed could have trimmed a bit of time off its final cut, perhaps by taking one or two gotchas out of the way but I suppose it's fun to think you know the answer only to not know the answer only to know it again. The first act and last act were definitely the strongest but it was still a great ride to get between the two.

Also, Bang Bang was awesome. Real awesome.