The Brothers Bloom

I’ve been conned. And according to the Brothers Bloom, a good con is when everyone involved gets what they want. But based on this criterion, this movie was not a successful con. I left the theatre wanting.

There were some things that I did find satisfying in this film. Anytime I can spend several hours lost in Adrien Brody’s eyes, is a good thing. I even liked the quirky characters, especially Bang Bang played by Rinko Kikuchi. But what bothered me is that I was never sure of the character’s motivation. In the film Bloom keeps asking his brother, “Is this the con, is this the con, or is this real?” Even Bloom wasn’t sure and brother Stephen wasn’t telling. Stephen did all the planning and he enjoyed stringing people along. Bloom didn’t like this and I didn’t like it either.

When the movie ended, my friend and I looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders and said in unison, “That was interesting.” We walked out bothered and bewildered but mostly confused. There were too many questions and not enough answers. I didn’t care for Mark Ruffalo’s character and I didn’t buy him as Adrien Brody’s brother. I liked the girl played by Rachel Weisz, but there was another character named Diamond Dog that both brothers hated with a passion and we never learn why. There were just too many holes in the plot for my liking. I like my endings a little more tidy.

Rating: Rent It A soulful Adrien Brody and a quirky Rachel Weisz are worth a rental