The Brothers Bloom (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• moon r

  
  Ahhh ... the art of the con. What's needed first is charisma, and this film's got that in spades, all the leads've got it. Then you need a hustle, a mark, someone the audience wants to see stung. And here the film falls flat. There's not one bad guy ... so they… More
  Ahhh ... the art of the con. What's needed first is charisma, and this film's got that in spades, all the leads've got it. Then you need a hustle, a mark, someone the audience wants to see stung. And here the film falls flat. There's not one bad guy ... so they end up conning each other. A disappointment. Not terrible, just kinda blah.

• Mark W

  
  Following on from his modern noir and impressive directorial debut "Brick" in 2005, director Rian Johnson faced the tricky second feature syndrome. After a three year wait he delivered this... another convoluted tale, but with altogether different results. Stephen (Mark… More
  Following on from his modern noir and impressive directorial debut "Brick" in 2005, director Rian Johnson faced the tricky second feature syndrome. After a three year wait he delivered this... another convoluted tale, but with altogether different results. Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and younger sibling Bloom (Adrien Brody) are a couple of con-men who criss cross the globe shafting the unwary. Their latest mark, however, is something new: wealthy recluse Penelope (Rachel Weisz) who, having spent her life mastering a miscellany of random skills (break dancing, banjo plucking, juggling chainsaws), is only too happy to follow them and their mute munitions expert 'Bang-Bang' (Rinko Kikuchi) to Prague where a priceless antique is ripe for the taking. With this second feature it looks like Rian Johnson enjoys a good puzzling story. His debut was full of twists and turns and more than a nod or two to crime writers Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. This time he employs a subtext with nods to several classic literary novels and authors. The references are subtle but cleverly dropped into his tangled and intricate flim-flam story. Added to which are bags of visual flourishes and fine performances by the four leads. However, what is a strong and satisfying hustle soon becomes a bit too clever for it's own good and as it draws to a close it ends up tying itself in knots. Leaving us with an unsatisfactory (and unnecessary) conclusion. Getting there is loads of fun though and Rian Johnson is shaping up to be a more than competent new director. Four fun, enjoyable and sharply dressed characters play out their scams in an impressive and stylish addition to the Bunco genre. It's just a shame it cons itself out of a convincing ending.

• Luke B

  
  Great performances and subtle characterizations really bring this con film above the usual fare. Although it often comes across as lighthearted, there are darker moments that really expand on who these people are. The brothers Bloom have been bounced from foster home to foster home,… More
  Great performances and subtle characterizations really bring this con film above the usual fare. Although it often comes across as lighthearted, there are darker moments that really expand on who these people are. The brothers Bloom have been bounced from foster home to foster home, and now spend their lives as conmen. Ruffalo is exceptionally great here, as the brother that always wants to take the con one step further. He wants people to believe his lies, and he keeps pushing it further as a work of art. Brody soon falls in love with one of the targets, and it's here that the film doesn't quite hit the greatness of Johnson's Brick. The love story is a bit regular, and Weisz is just hard to relate to. She's either too into the whole conning aspect, or too stupid to really understand it all. Kikuchi is the breakout star here. Her almost silent role has her out act almost everyone with facial expressions and an essence of cool that really shines on screen. The final con works with a number of clever twists, but is also more emotional than your familiar heists.

• Conner R

  
  The Brother's Bloom is a little too corny for my taste at times, but when it wants to be good it really delivers. This suffers, in my opinion, from the need to be that "quirky indie movie" that has just become incredibly stale by now. However, the cast in this and the… More
  The Brother's Bloom is a little too corny for my taste at times, but when it wants to be good it really delivers. This suffers, in my opinion, from the need to be that "quirky indie movie" that has just become incredibly stale by now. However, the cast in this and the general plot is incredibly well put together and fun. Adrien Brody manages to steal the movie even though he's the most introverted character. He's just so genuine and lovable. This also happens to be a great looking movie, which isn't necessary, but appreciated in a comedy.

• jay n

  
  What was the point? Good acting only goes so far, that this has but a story that has some sort of meaning it doesn't.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  The Brothers Bloom possesses nearly every attribute I search for in a film: it's whimsical, quirky and visually arresting. It features fantastic costume design and score. It's very funny in an offbeat manner, and it's brought to life by a magnificent cast: apart from… More
  The Brothers Bloom possesses nearly every attribute I search for in a film: it's whimsical, quirky and visually arresting. It features fantastic costume design and score. It's very funny in an offbeat manner, and it's brought to life by a magnificent cast: apart from Rinko Kikuchi (who basically prolongs her mute character from Babel), Rachel Weisz hits a career high and, if he hadn't been nominated for this year's Oscars, it would be safe to say that Mark Ruffalo is the most underrated actor ever. Now that I think of it, this film bears a resemblance to now-extinct TV show Pushing Daisies. But, as much as I love originality and beauty and great acting, I couldn't bring myself to love this movie. Maybe it's the overly intricate plot, I don't know.

• paul s

  
  The Brothers Bloom is a film about grifters (if you don't know what that means, then by all means, skip the film) - who have been con-men since childhood (shown in a very nice opening scene). The film then moves to adulthood and here at the end of an elaborate con, so far so… More
  The Brothers Bloom is a film about grifters (if you don't know what that means, then by all means, skip the film) - who have been con-men since childhood (shown in a very nice opening scene). The film then moves to adulthood and here at the end of an elaborate con, so far so good. Then the REAL con comes in - Rian Johnson, the writer (and director) tries to con us into thinking he's on to something, and that this is going to be a terrific film. What follows is an artistic mess, built on a shoddy premise that lacks depth, realism and any emotional investment in the characters. Adrien Brody, in particular is as bland as white on white, and while he's supposed to be having this emotional struggle concerning falling for his mark - you never get the feeling that he's doing anything more than reciting lines. The character of the mark is ridiculous and puts the film at a huge disadvantage as so much of the story involves her and reaction that the brothers have towards her. There are attempts at humor (if you can believe it, in what should be a tight how to do it con artist film), and I do mean "attempts". They are not funny and seriously detract from any "feel" the film had going for it. The photography is well done throughout, and often far outstrips the script that for all its inventiveness and the intricacies of the cons themselves, too often falls on its own sword due to bad direction and bad ideas. You can't blame Mark Ruffalo though. He plays the older brother with a worldly sense and like Robbie Coltrane in a limited role, rises above the material. The only charactor who is well written, and a joy to watch, is the whimsical "munitions expert" Bang-Bang, a quirky oriental, who late in the film, for no apparant reason, sings a tortured version of "Sleeping" a tune well covered by Lydia Pense and Cold Blood - hmmm, maybe the director was trying to tell us something.... naw. Towards the end of the film, where everyone is backstabbing everyone else and you are led to believe that every situation is just part of an elaborate con - and that everyone's motives should be looked upon in that light, I started to think that perhaps Johnson's directorial vision was to take his material and intentionally NOT give any visual or acting clues - as if trying to leave it to the audience to discern whether or not someone is conning someone else. Me, I know the con and who was doing the conning - it's Johnson - and if there is a joke in the film - I also know that said joke is on the audience.

• Cynthia S

  
  I really enjoyed this movie. Very funny, and entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who likes quirky movies.

• Jason R

  
  One of favorite movies of all time. All of the characters are extremely charming, the storyline chugs along nicely, and successfully teeters between "thriller" and "comedy." Don't just see this movie, see it with your favorite people.

• Ginny  

  
  For the most part, I liked it. Just for the most part.

• familiar s

  
  Brittle than the Brick (which again, I didn't find *that* great). One of the most disappointing con flicks I've come across. Suspension of disbelief would be a stupid excuse to overlook its unrealistic, idiotic ending. Mark Ruffalo & (especially) Rinko Kikuchi's… More
  Brittle than the Brick (which again, I didn't find *that* great). One of the most disappointing con flicks I've come across. Suspension of disbelief would be a stupid excuse to overlook its unrealistic, idiotic ending. Mark Ruffalo & (especially) Rinko Kikuchi's performances made this tedious journey relatively bearable.

• Chris W

  
  This being my first exposure ot the work of Rian Johnson, I really wasn't sure what to expect going into it. As a general rule, i usually like caper and con films. They're not my favorite, but every now and then I like a film where there's lots of twists and turns, and… More
  This being my first exposure ot the work of Rian Johnson, I really wasn't sure what to expect going into it. As a general rule, i usually like caper and con films. They're not my favorite, but every now and then I like a film where there's lots of twists and turns, and quirky usually is a good thing too. While I don't think this film is fantastic, it is pretty decent, despite being a bit too smug. I really enjoyed the acting, and the costume and set design were just fantastic. The music was nice too. Even though this film isn't bad, it's not quite goos either, but it's decent enough to warrant watching at least once. The inflations of the grade are part of my personal biases.

• Carlos M

  
  A delightful comedy, clever and whimsical, boasting great performances by the entire cast and a fun story with many original moments resembling the humor style from films of Wes Anderson and the Coen brothers.

• Stuart B

  
  Quirky, well acted and charming.

• Dean M

  
  Great and touching comedy that has probably the best performance by Rachel Weisz ever and that's a big thing to say considering the fact that she's great in pretty much everything she does. This movie becomes entangled in the ambitious web of its own creation. Most harmfully… More
  Great and touching comedy that has probably the best performance by Rachel Weisz ever and that's a big thing to say considering the fact that she's great in pretty much everything she does. This movie becomes entangled in the ambitious web of its own creation. Most harmfully director Rain Johnson drops focus on the sparring brothers and their unreal life of lies, setting sail for the more regular climes of romance, double cross, and Euro-tastic locations. Were it not for the stock shifts, we'd be talking an instant cult classic. In every shot is impeccably framed, it's as if Hal Ashby shot <i>The Sting</i>. I liked Rinko Kikuchi's supernatural character Bang Bang, a sidekick of Blooms, her nickname is because she likes explosives, and she doesn't speak a single line of dialogue. She's kind like the <i>Looney Tunes</i> characters.

• Josh L

  
  A pleasant and surprising movie that is as entertaining as it is cerebral. It is always hard to tell whether what is happening is a part of the con, real, or a con within con that the characters don't know about. This unpredictability made it more enjoyable for me because I love… More
  A pleasant and surprising movie that is as entertaining as it is cerebral. It is always hard to tell whether what is happening is a part of the con, real, or a con within con that the characters don't know about. This unpredictability made it more enjoyable for me because I love thinking about this sort of stuff. It helps that the characters are colorful and played strongly by the excellent cast. The movie is breezy and the ending makes me want to go re-watch the movie instantly. The pacing does go back and forth a little bit, and is one of the only things that bothered me, but this is a solid heist caper and one I look forward to revisiting again.

• Derek A

  
  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. <i>The Brothers Bloom</i> is fantastic looking... the sets and the costumes are… More
  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. <i>The Brothers Bloom</i> 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....<p>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 <i>The Brother's Bloom</i> 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.<p>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!

• danny d

  
  a film that starts brilliantly, then continues fairly well, then ends in a state of total incoherency. the art direction was really good and the movie had a heart to it that i appreciated, but it just didnt sustain long enough to be consequential.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  MARK RUFFALO, ADRIEN BRODY, RINKO KIKUCHI, RACHEL WEISZ, ROBBIE COLTRANE Brothers - older Stephen and three years junior Bloom - have been con artists since they were kids. Stephen is the mastermind, for who the intricacy of the story used in the con is as important as the positive… More
  MARK RUFFALO, ADRIEN BRODY, RINKO KIKUCHI, RACHEL WEISZ, ROBBIE COLTRANE Brothers - older Stephen and three years junior Bloom - have been con artists since they were kids. Stephen is the mastermind, for who the intricacy of the story used in the con is as important as the positive outcome of the swindle. Bloom is the main character of Stephen's stories, the character he considers the anti-hero. As adults, they travel the world and never enlist the same people twice in their cons, except for their consistent sidekick, the mysterious and primarily silent Bang Bang, a Japanese woman who just appeared in their lives one day and who has a penchant for blowing things up. As Bloom hits his mid-thirties, he wants to quit the business as he is losing his own identity to that of the characters he portrays; he doesn't know anymore what is real and what is make-believe. Stephen talks him into one last con, the mark to be the eccentric, lonely but beautiful New Jersey heiress, Penelope Stamp. Penelope's primary past-time in life is to, as she calls it, "borrow hobbies": when she sees something she likes, she learns how to do it solely through reading books. As the brothers go through their final con on Penelope, three main problems may occur to thwart the plan. First, the brothers' former mentor and now arch enemy, Diamond Dog, may exact his long awaited revenge on the brothers. Second, Penelope may end up being more unpredictable than all their former marks. And third, Bloom, who has let love slip by in his life, may fall for Penelope. But through the process, no one ever really knows who is conning who. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another great film by director/writer Rian Johnson, a total opposite from the movie Brick. Really liked this movie. It has a bit of everything in it. Suspense, action, comedy, and romance. Lots of twists and turns. Never really know where the story is going, and who's coning who. Definitely falls under the category of a dark comedy. A fun film though. Just really well done. Rachel Weisz, stands out the most for me in this film. She plays a quirky eccentric girl named Penelope Stamp, who is excited to be apart of the gang not knowing she is the target of course. Rachel just gives a fantastic performance. This has to be my favorite performance by Adrien Brody. Thought he was really great, and had really good chemistry with Rachel. Mark Ruffalo is a favorite of mine, and as usual was really good in this movie. The surprise was Rinko Kikuchi. She had almost an entire silent part in this movie. I thought she was great, entertaining, and funny by just her physical acting. She says very little but makes herself known in this film. This movie says its about two brothers who are cons, but its also about two brothers who had it rough, and an older brother who wanted to take care of his little brother and protect him. Just a great movie that I am sure will be a fun watch for all.

• Drew S

  
  "I have a million endings! Aren't I clever?"

Read all 20 featured audience ratings