The Brothers Bloom

Last updated

The Brothers Bloom
The Brothers Bloom poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Rian Johnson
Written byRian Johnson
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Steve Yedlin
Edited byGabriel Wrye
Music by Nathan Johnson
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • September 9, 2008 (2008-09-09)(TIFF)
  • May 15, 2009 (2009-05-15)(United States)
Running time
114 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$20 million [3]
Box office$5.5 million [4]

The Brothers Bloom is a 2008 American caper comedy-drama film written and directed by Rian Johnson. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Maximilian Schell, and Robbie Coltrane. The film went into wide release in May 2009. [4]

Contents

Plot

The Brothers Bloom, orphaned at a young age, grow up in a series of foster homes. 13-year-old Stephen dreams up an elaborate scenario to encourage his younger brother, Bloom, to talk to a girl, and the plan becomes their first confidence trick.

Twenty-five years later, the brothers are successful con men, and celebrate the end of a job in Berlin with their accomplice and explosives expert, Bang Bang. Bloom longs for an "unwritten life" beyond Stephen's schemes, and the brothers go their separate ways. Three months later, Stephen finds Bloom in Montenegro and convinces him to execute one final con: their target is Penelope Stamp, a wealthy heiress living alone in her New Jersey mansion.

Bloom inserts himself into Penelope's isolated life by running into her sports car on a bicycle, and they bond over her eccentric array of hobbies, including various musical instruments, chainsaw juggling, and pinhole photography. Exploiting Penelope's loneliness and craving for adventure, Bloom masquerades as an antiques dealer leaving for Europe, and Penelope arrives at the harbor to sail with the brothers and Bang Bang to Greece.

As part of the con, Melville, a Belgian black marketeer hired by Stephen, tells Penelope that the brothers are smugglers and offers them an illicit job: in exchange for $1 million, he will procure a rare book in Prague for them to sell for $2.5 million. Penelope is thrilled and "convinces" the brothers to accept, and Bloom and Penelope struggle with their mutual attraction, but Stephen warns that the con will fail if Bloom actually falls for Penelope.

In Prague, Bloom is approached by the brothers' mentor-turned-enemy, Diamond Dog, but Stephen attacks Diamond Dog with a broken bottle, warning him to stay away. Melville disappears with Penelope's $1 million, according to plan, but she is determined to complete the job. The brothers arrange for her to steal the fake book from Prague Castle, where a mixup with Bang Bang's explosives leads to Penelope being caught, but she talks her way out of police custody.

They go to Mexico to complete the "sale", but Bloom has fallen in love with Penelope and reveals her adventure has been a sham. Preparing to flee together, they are confronted by Stephen; the brothers fight and a gun accidentally discharges, mortally wounding Stephen. Realizing the blood is fake and this was yet another ruse, Penelope leaves broken-hearted. Bloom punches Stephen and leaves for Montenegro once again.

Three months later, Penelope reunites with Bloom, who is unable to deny his love for her but unwilling to let her become a con artist herself. He meets with Stephen and Bang Bang, preparing to finish the con and fake their own deaths. They go to St. Petersburg, where Stephen has arranged to "sell" the book to Diamond Dog, who will pose as a Russian mobster, but they are ambushed by Diamond Dog's men. Stephen is kidnapped and Bang Bang's car explodes, leaving Penelope and Bloom uncertain whether she has faked her death.

A $1.75 million ransom demand leads Bloom to suspect this is another of Stephen's tricks, but Penelope wires the money. Arriving at an abandoned theater, Bloom finds Stephen badly beaten and held at gunpoint, and a phone call from Diamond Dog confirms that he has double-crossed the brothers. Bloom shoots first, forcing the gunman to flee, but Stephen takes a bullet for Bloom and collapses. Bloom asks whether this was real, and Stephen leaps to his feet, assuring his brother that he is fine, and tells him to go on the run with Penelope and that they will meet again.

Driving away with Penelope, Bloom discovers that the bloodstains on his shirt have oxidized, revealing that his brother's blood was real. Stephen dies peacefully, having pulled off "the perfect con", as Bloom and Penelope embark on a new life together.

Cast

Production

The original script was titled Penelope after Weisz's character. Shooting began in Ulcinj, Montenegro, on March 19, 2007.

Script and development

"Paper Moon is probably the closest to a direct influence. I love The Sting and House of Games, but Paper Moon was really the first thing I watched that took more of a fairy-tale approach and was more relationship based. Other than that, God, take your pick."

—Rian Johnson, director/writer [9]

Johnson first had the idea for The Brothers Bloom a few years before Brick . Originally the film was going to be more serious and had a mentor relationship instead of brothers. He started writing the script after taking Brick to Sundance over the next six months. [10] The script was challenging for Johnson to write because he wanted to create a character-based con man film with an "emotional payoff", while including all the storytelling aspects of the genre. Johnson felt by sticking to a standard form of a con man film (two guys with one girl and one of them falls in love with the girl), he could deviate from the classical ending with a big twist. [5] When writing the script, Johnson watched The Man Who Would Be King , but his main influence came from Paper Moon . While filming the movie, he watched The Conformist and 8½ for visual style. [9]

Filming locations

Penelope's castle is the Peleș Castle in Sinaia, Romania. Other locations include Belgrade (Serbia), the Constanța Casino, the Port of Constanța (Romania) and various locations in Greece and Montenegro. The exterior scenes involving the theft of the book were shot in Prague, both in and around Prague Castle and on the Charles Bridge. [11] The ship board scenes were filmed on the steamship (yacht) SS Delphine.[ citation needed ]

Penelope's skills

During the two-week rehearsal period, Weisz had to learn to look like she could do all the skills that her character Penelope knew. This included banjo, violin, guitar, piano, juggling, break dancing, skateboarding, giraffe unicycle, and card tricks, among others. [12] Brody helped Weisz learn to skateboard; she said, "Brody is a good skateboarder, so we were in the parking lot outside the place we were filming." [13] Brody also helped her to learn to rap; when she first tried "he was so ashamed." [14] The card trick was the most difficult for Weisz and took her a month of practicing every day to learn. [15] The shot itself took 11 or so takes, but the one continuous shot in the film is not enhanced in any way. [16]

Soundtrack

The Brothers Bloom: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
Nathan Johnson
ReleasedMay 19, 2009 (2009-05-19)
Length48:12
Label Cut Narrative Records

The Brothers Bloom: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on May 19, 2009, by Cut Narrative Records. Director Rian Johnson's cousin, musician Nathan Johnson, composed the score for the film as he did on Johnson's directorial debut, Brick .

Three songs in the film are not available on the soundtrack: "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" by Bob Dylan, "Miles from Nowhere" by Cat Stevens, and "Sleeping" by The Band, which was performed karaoke-style by Rinko Kikuchi. Rian Johnson listened to The Band while writing the script, and their music was a major influence on the score.

In a digitally-released soundtrack companion booklet, Nathan Johnson said that since the film was about storytelling, it made sense to use lyric-based songs as an inspiration. He also credited Italian composer Nino Rota as an influence.

Release

The Brothers Bloom had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2008. [17] The film was then screened as the opening night feature at the Boston Independent Film Festival on April 22, 2009. At the Newport Beach Film Fest Johnson won a festival honors award in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Directing. [18] The first seven minutes of the film were posted to the online streaming video site, Hulu, on April 23, 2009. [19]

Box office

The Brothers Bloom was originally to be released in the fall of 2009 but Summit pushed it forward to May. [5] The film opened in four theaters in the U.S. in its first week, earning $90,400. During the Memorial Day weekend from May 23–25, 2009, the first weekend after its initial limited release, The Brothers Bloom grossed $495,527, from 52 theaters, ranking it #15. During its wide release weekend starting May 29, 2009, in 148 theaters the film grossed $627,971, ranking it #11.

The film finished its theatrical run after 12 weeks reaching at most 209 theaters during its sixth week. The film has grossed $3,531,756 domestically and $1,997,708 abroad for a total of $5,529,464. This placed it at number 167 for all films released in 2009. [4] The film was released in the UK on 4 June 2010. [20]

Critical reception

As of December 2020, review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 68% approval rating, based on 156 reviews with an average rating of 6.20/10. The site's consensus stated that "Despite strong performances The Brothers Bloom ultimately does not fulfill its lofty ambitions." [21] On Metacritic, the film was assigned a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on 26 reviews from mainstream critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [22]

Claudia Puig writing for USA Today stated that the film "has it all" with an "offbeat perspective" and "magical realism style that works exquisitely". She gave The Brothers Bloom a 3.5 out of 4 and wrote that it "is an often rapturous trot around the globe" but noted that the film "loses some steam in the final half hour." [23] Robert Wilonsky thought that Johnson had "infused The Brothers Bloom with so much heart and beauty that one can and should easily overlook its discomfiting moments." Wilonsky suggested a second viewing of the film is "even more profound and touching". [24]

Roger Ebert commented how the film's "acting is a delight" but it was "too smug and pleased with itself". He continued by complaining that the film had "too many encores and curtain calls". [25] Robert Abele's review of The Brothers Bloom for the Los Angeles Times criticized Brody for over-moping and considered Ruffalo as "out of sorts" but thought Weisz's performance as "the best thing in the movie". Abele also thought Johnson used too many filmmaking quirks and when Johnson was not distracting the audience he had his actors doing it. [26]

Home media

The DVD and Blu-ray became available to rent on September 29, 2009 and to own on January 12, 2010. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Weisz</span> British actress (born 1970)

Rachel Hannah Weisz is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received several awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award.

Catherine Jane McCormack is an English actress. Her film appearances include Braveheart (1995), The Land Girls (1998), Dangerous Beauty (1998), Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), Spy Game (2001), and 28 Weeks Later (2007). Her theatre work includes National Theatre productions of All My Sons (2000) and Honour (2003).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Ruffalo</span> American actor (born 1967)

Mark Alan Ruffalo is an American actor. He began acting in the early 1990s and first gained recognition for his work in Kenneth Lonergan's play This Is Our Youth (1996) and drama film You Can Count on Me (2000). He went on to star in the romantic comedies 13 Going on 30 (2004), Just like Heaven (2005) and the thrillers In the Cut (2003), Zodiac (2007), and Shutter Island (2010). He received a Tony Award nomination for his supporting role in the Broadway revival of Awake and Sing! in 2006. Ruffalo gained international recognition for playing Bruce Banner / Hulk since 2012 in the superhero franchise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

<i>The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor</i> 2008 American action adventure film

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is a 2008 American action adventure fantasy film directed by Rob Cohen, written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and produced by Stephen Sommers, Bob Ducsay, Sean Daniel, and James Jacks. The film is set in China rather than Egypt and focuses on the Terracotta Army's origins. It is the third and final installment in The Mummy trilogy. It stars Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Luke Ford, Anthony Wong, and Michelle Yeoh.

<i>Brick</i> (film) 2005 live action film directed by Rian Johnson

Brick is a 2005 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written and directed by Rian Johnson in his directorial debut, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Brick was distributed by Focus Features, and opened in New York and Los Angeles on April 7, 2006. The film's narrative centers on a hardboiled detective story set in a California suburb. Most of the main characters are high school students. The film draws heavily in plot, characterization, and dialogue from hardboiled classics, especially those by Dashiell Hammett. The title refers to a block of heroin, compressed roughly to the size and shape of a brick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rian Johnson</span> American writer, director and producer

Rian Craig Johnson is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film Brick (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget. Transitioning to higher-profile films, Johnson achieved mainstream recognition for writing and directing the science-fiction thriller Looper (2012) to critical and commercial success. Johnson landed his largest project when he wrote and directed the space opera Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), which grossed over $1 billion. He returned to the mystery genre with Knives Out (2019) and its sequel Glass Onion (2022), both of which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabel Coixet</span> Spanish film director (born 1960)

Isabel Coixet Castillo is a Spanish film director. She is one of the most prolific film directors of contemporary Spain, having directed twelve feature-length films since the beginning of her film career in 1988, in addition to documentary films, shorts, and commercials. Her films depart from the traditional national cinema of Spain, and help to “untangle films from their national context ... clearing the path for thinking about national film from different perspectives.” The recurring themes of “emotions, feelings, and existential conflict” coupled with her distinct visual style secure the “multifaceted ” filmmaker's status as a “Catalan auteur.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Carruth</span> American film producer, actor, screenwriter (born 1972)

Shane Carruth is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, composer, and actor. He is the writer, director, and co-star of the prize-winning science-fiction film Primer (2004), which was his debut feature. His second film, Upstream Color (2013), was an experimental science-fiction film which he wrote, directed, produced, edited, designed, and starred in. He also composed the scores for both films. In recognition of Carruth's idiosyncratic and, at times, bizarre filmmaking technique, director Steven Soderbergh told Entertainment Weekly, "I view Shane as the illegitimate offspring of David Lynch and James Cameron."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Kitsch</span> Canadian actor and model

Taylor Kitsch is a Canadian actor and model. He is known for portraying Tim Riggins in the NBC television series Friday Night Lights (2006–2011). He has also worked in films such as X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Battleship (2012), John Carter (2012), Savages (2012), Lone Survivor (2013), The Grand Seduction (2014), American Assassin (2017), Only The Brave (2017), and 21 Bridges (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rinko Kikuchi</span> Japanese actress (born 1981)

Rinko Kikuchi is a Japanese actress. She was the first Japanese actress to be nominated for an Academy Award in 50 years, for her work in Babel (2006). Kikuchi's other notable films include Norwegian Wood (2010), which screened in competition at the 67th Venice Film Festival and Guillermo del Toro's science fiction action film Pacific Rim (2013). For her role in the drama film Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014), Kikuchi received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead. She is currently seen in the HBO Max crime drama series Tokyo Vice.

The 19th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, given by the CFCA on December 28, 2006 honored the best in film for 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Craig</span> English actor (born 1968)

Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. He gained international fame by playing the fictional secret agent James Bond for five installments in the film series, from Casino Royale (2006) up to No Time to Die (2021).

Nathan Tyler Johnson is an American film composer, director, and producer.

<i>The Whistleblower</i> 2010 Canadian-German thriller film directed by Larysa Kondracki

The Whistleblower is a 2010 Canadian biographical drama film directed by Larysa Kondracki and starring Rachel Weisz. Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan wrote the screenplay, which was inspired by the story of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska police officer who was recruited as a United Nations peacekeeper for DynCorp International in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1999. While there, she discovered a Bosnian sex trafficking ring serving and facilitated by DynCorp employees, with international peacekeepers looking the other way. Bolkovac was fired and forced out of the country after attempting to shut down the ring. She took the story to BBC News in the UK and won a wrongful dismissal lawsuit against DynCorp.

"Sleeping" is a song by The Band, first released on their 1970 album Stage Fright. It was also released as the B-side to the "Stage Fright" single. It was co-written by Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel. This and “Just Another Whistle Stop” are the only two songs Manuel receives credit for on the album. Music critic Barney Hoskyns rates it as "one of Richard [Manuel's] liveliest performances" and "one of The Band's most intricate arrangements." The Band never featured the song on a live album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Ruffalo on screen and stage</span>

Mark Ruffalo is an American actor who has starred in numerous films and television series. Ruffalo made his acting debut in an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse. He began collaborating with Kenneth Lonergan and appeared in several of his plays, In 1996 he was included in the original cast of Lonergan's play This Is Our Youth (1996) which gained him recognition subsequently he had minor roles in films including The Dentist (1996), Safe Men (1998) and Ang Lee's Civil War Western Ride with the Devil (1999). In 2000, he starred as Laura Linney's character's brother in Lonergan's Academy Award-nominated film You Can Count on Me.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Bergman</span> Israeli film producer

Ram Bergman is an Israeli film producer. He is known for producing Brick (2005), The Brothers Bloom (2008), Looper (2012), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Knives Out (2019), all of which were written and directed by Rian Johnson.

<i>The Favourite</i> 2018 film by Yorgos Lanthimos

The Favourite is a 2018 period black comedy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. A co-production between Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the film stars Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz. Set in early 18th century Great Britain, it examines the relationship between cousins Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough and Abigail Hill as they vie to be court favourite of Queen Anne.

<i>Disobedience</i> (2017 film) 2017 film by Sebastián Lelio

Disobedience is a 2017 romantic drama film directed by Sebastián Lelio and written by Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewicz, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Naomi Alderman. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola. Set in North London, it tells the story of a woman who returns to the strict Orthodox Jewish community for her father's funeral after living in New York for many years, having been estranged from her father and ostracised by the community for a reason that becomes clearer as the story unfolds. The film was produced by Weisz, Ed Guiney, and Frida Torresblanco.

<i>Knives Out</i> 2019 mystery film by Rian Johnson

Knives Out is a 2019 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Daniel Craig leads an eleven-actor ensemble cast as Benoit Blanc, famed private detective summoned to investigate the death of bestselling author Harlan Thrombey. Although police rule Harlan's case a suicide, Blanc suspects foul play and examines a host of clues and deceptive red herrings to ascertain his true manner of death. Johnson produced Knives Out with longtime collaborator Ram Bergman. Lionsgate managed the film's commercial distribution, and funding was sourced through MRC and a multimillion-dollar tax subsidy from the Massachusetts state government.

References

  1. ↑ Hunter, Allan (September 10, 2008). "The Brothers Bloom". Screen International . Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  2. ↑ "THE BROTHERS BLOOM (12A)". British Board of Film Classification . March 29, 2010. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  3. ↑ "The Brothers Bloom". BombReport . Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Brothers Bloom (2009)". Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on July 28, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 Tate, Josh (May 22, 2009). "LAist Interview: Rian Johnson, director, The Brothers Bloom". LAist . Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
  6. ↑ Allen, Nick (May 3, 2009). "Rachel Weisz - The Brother's Bloom". The Scorecard Review. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Adrien Brody bonds with 'Brothers Bloom' co-star Mark Ruffalo". The Canadian Press. May 21, 2009. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  8. ↑ Nayman, Adam (May 20, 2009). "Rian Johnson Interview". Eye Weekly . Retrieved May 27, 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. 1 2 Monfette, Christopher. "Rian Johnson Interview". IGN . Archived from the original on May 16, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  10. ↑ Billington, Alex (May 13, 2009). "Interview: The Brothers Bloom Director Rian Johnson". firstshowing.net. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  11. ↑ DVD 'extra': "In Bloom: 4 countries in 60 days"
  12. ↑ Symkus, Ed (May 17, 2009). "Rachel Weisz shows off silly side in 'The Brothers Bloom'". Norwich Bulletin. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  13. ↑ Douglas, Edward (May 14, 2009). "Rachel Weisz Takes on The Brothers Bloom". comingsoon.net. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  14. ↑ Hill, Logan (August 24, 2009). "Funny Girl?". New York Magazine. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Rachel picks up hobbies for Bloom". The Press Association. May 13, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2009.[ dead link ]
  16. ↑ "Interview: Rian Johnson on The Brothers Bloom". Daily Plastic. May 6, 2009. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  17. ↑ "TIFF Review: The Brothers Bloom". September 25, 2008. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
  18. ↑ "The 2009 Newport Beach Film Festival Awards". Newport Beach Film Fest. Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  19. ↑ "Watch the First 7 Minutes of The Brother's Bloom!". Movie Web. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Launching Films - Film Distributors' Database". Launching Films. Archived from the original on March 12, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  21. ↑ "The Brothers Bloom (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  22. ↑ "The Brothers Bloom Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  23. ↑ Puig Claudia (May 17, 2009). "'Brothers Bloom' is a con story that doesn't cheat". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 5, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2010.Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg
  24. ↑ Wilonsky, Robert (May 13, 2009). "The Brothers Bloom Is No Joke". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on May 2, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  25. ↑ Ebert, Roger (May 20, 2009). "The Brothers Bloom". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on July 21, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2010.Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg
  26. ↑ Abele, Robert (May 15, 2009). "'The Brothers Bloom'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  27. ↑ "The Brothers Bloom - Box Office Data, Movie News, Cast Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on January 28, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.