‘Brothers’ Review: Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin Play Mismatched Twins in a Comedy Blind to Their Differences

As a long-time movie buff with over four decades of cinematic experiences under my belt, I must say that “Brothers” left me feeling somewhat disappointed and a bit perplexed. While the concept of twin brothers with contrasting personalities is not entirely new, the execution here falls short in comparison to its predecessors.


In the movie “Brothers,” Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage portray grown-up siblings, Moke and Jady Munger, who have been partners in crime, particularly in jewelry heists, since their mother, a criminal, left them at a young age.

In the new project by director Max Barbakow, following his 2020 hit “Palm Springs,” it’s likely that the humorous moments will arise from the visual contrast between the two main actors. Writers Macon Blair (“The Toxic Avenger”) and Etan Cohen ( “Tropic Thunder”) have a history of creating such comedies, as does Hollywood with films like “Twins,” where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito played dissimilar siblings.

It’s surprising yet comforting to realize that the height disparity between Moke and Jady isn’t the main focus of the show “Brothers”. Instead, it’s their contrasting personalities – one being more reserved while the other is wilder – and opposing life paths that continue to cause friction between these siblings even in their 50s. For years, Moke has aided Jady in petty crimes, but he’s now making a change, taking on a humbling job and preparing for the arrival of his baby girl, “Blueberry”, with his wife Abby (Taylour Paige). On the other hand, as soon as Jady is released from prison, the troublemaker with a mustache reappears, attempting to lure Moke back onto the wrong path.

As a cinephile, I’ve got to say that after getting out, my character in “Brothers” has no plans of living straight. In reality, his early release was part of a dubious agreement with a questionable prison warden, played by none other than Brendan Fraser. This shady figure is banking on me to retrieve a cache of emeralds as valuable as the Rockefeller family’s, which his mother had stolen years back.

Ever since their mother abandoned them long ago, the brothers have been extraordinarily protective of each other. This has led “big” brother to jeopardize his marriage in order to assist Jady with one final heist. Moke deceives Abby about the purpose of their two-day journey and embarks on a trip that might be more entertaining than the monotonous dinner with the in-laws he’s expecting. However, aside from getting sexually assaulted by an orangutan, the situation seems rather ordinary.

In “Palm Springs,” Barbakow co-authored a clever script, one that provided a unique and amusing perspective on the often-repeated narrative of “Groundhog Day.” Similar to “Brothers,” this film shares similarities with numerous other productions, such as rural crime capers like “Raizing Arizona” and “Logan Lucky,” as well as the TV series “My Name Is Earl” from the mid-2000s. However, it lacks the innovative twist or charismatic leads that could have given it a distinctive edge.

It appears that if Jady is aiming to recover the emeralds his mother allegedly stole, it might make more sense for him to seek her help rather than his brother’s. Interestingly, Cath reappears in the story, initially portrayed by Jennifer Landon and then later by Glenn Close in an unexpected role that feels like Reba McEntire with a thieving spirit. This character switch is quite different from Cath’s “Reversal of Fortune” persona and is one of many intriguing side characters in the film.

Officer Fearful, played by someone who could easily be Fraser in a different timeline before his Oscar win, exhibits an intriguing character. M. Emmet Walsh portrays a crooked local judge, who also happens to be Farful’s father, reminiscent of his character from “The Jerk.” Marisa Tomei makes a peculiar appearance as a woman adorned with gold teeth and claiming to read auras. It appears that her character has been exchanging some sort of spiritual messages with Jady in prison, and now they intend to carry on this relationship… while simultaneously, Tomei’s pet orangutan is causing chaos with Moke in another part of the room.

In the show, every actor seems deeply invested in their characters, even though they appear to be playing roles that are arguably below their capabilities. However, it’s puzzling why the characters Moke and Jady were portrayed as twins, a choice that doesn’t seem to serve a clear purpose. Compared to another Prime original from two weeks ago, a suspenseful series called “Killer Heat” which had identical twins using their similar appearances for deception, this twist in “Brothers” seems less compelling, as it fails to bring anything fresh or innovative to the twin theme.

“Brothers” opens in limited release on Oct. 10, then releases globally on Prime Video on Oct. 17.

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2024-10-12 01:54