Brothers is a gripping, perfectly acted film by director Jim Sheridan (In America). It is also free of tell-tale signs of a long and/or troubled production, I am glad to report.

Tobey Maguire delivers the finest performance of his career. The role of Capt. Sam Cahill, an adoring father and dedicated Marine who returns home disturbed and lost after a brutal P.O.W. experience in Afghanistan, was surely a taxing one on both emotional and physical levels and Maguire is there every step of the way. He plays both sides of Cahill--the charismatic family man we meet and the dangerous, sorrowful PTSD sufferer we see created by war--perfectly. This is a complex, convincing, and 100% award-worthy performance and a bold and welcome return to serious acting for Maguire after a decade of web-slinging.

Natalie Portman is also excellent. I haven't been this impressed by her since Closer and Garden State were released five years ago. As Sam's wife, who goes on an emotional roller coaster ride after her beloved husband is falsely reported dead and then returned home a different man, Portman is elegant, mature, and skilled at portraying the hard-hitting various stages of grief. Jake Gyllenhaal, as the n'er-do-well other brother who spreads his wings and transcends his violent past in his older brother's absence, is solid. The chemistry between he and Portman is complicated and warm--and it was a welcome surprise their connection never becomes sexual.

A handful of recognizable actors lend able support to the three leads, including Sam Shepard as the brothers' stern father, who returned from Vietnam a different and colder man, and An Education starlet Carey Mulligan as a recent widower. Mulligan astounds in her brief scenes, cementing her status as 2009's most impressive new star.

Brothers is anti-war, but not a political film. It has no interest in entering the fray over whether the war on terror is right or wrong; it is entirely interested in showing how individuals and families can be torn asunder by the brutality of conflict. It's the human cost, not sociopolitical causes, on Sheridan's mind. His direction is understated, but sure-handed. His building of tension during the Afghanistan-set sequences is notable.

It is also worth noting the music. Thomas Newman composes a haunting, oft-intense score and U2 contribute a moving new song called "Winter" (their classic "Bad" also features prominently).

One of the year's best!

A

Even if it's ultimately a bit underdeveloped (the movie needed approximately one more scene each between the three main characters to flesh it out), Brothers is nonetheless a moving and thoughtful portrait of war's affect on soldiers when they return home buoyed by strong performances. Jim Sheridan's direction is quite good, as he draws stellar performances out of his cast. Tobey Maguire has a brief instance where he goes over-the-top but otherwise nails portraying post-traumatic stress and a man broken by what he's been through. Natalie Portman is wonderfully expressive and sympathetic, and Jake Gyllenhaal appears comfortable and avoids fading into the background despite the least meaty role. Sam Shepard and Mare Winningham are also good in small roles, but special notice must go to child actresses Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare, who are heartbreaking. The film doesn't make specific statements one way or the other about war. But it does show us that for many troops, the battle will live on forever unless they can move past their psychological troubles. B+

But whose hotter: Tobey or Jake as that is what I care about!

I'm so glad Tobey Maguire's terrific performance was honored with a Golden Globe nomination.

I saw this on opening night and didn't think it was very good. Natalie Portman was wonderful in it but I was let down by Maguire and especially Gyllenhaal, who I thought was very unspectacular. Maguire was decent, but no where near his wonderful performances in The Cider House Rules and Pleasantville and he honestly didn't have much to do except for scream.

It was also incredibly uneventful and I hated Maguire's character. But I really wasn't even bored, I guess and Portman is it's saving grace.

6/10 (C+)

BROTHERS - 6/10 (B-)

Meh. It's decent, but for the most part it left me cold and didn't ever feel genuine. I expected it to be better.

Brothers is a great film that truly captures human emotion on both sides of war, those who are on the front line and those who deal with the consequences. While Tobey Maguire is good here, he is definitely not worthy of a Golden Globe nomination. If anything Jake Gyllenhaal should of gotten the nom because he is much stronger. Natalie Portman and Sam Shepard are also strong. The film did well conveying both Maguire's war story and Portman's story at home. The film has some trouble wrapping up after a very strong and powerful scene within the main setting of the film. Other than the couple of complaints, Brothers is a strong and very effective drama. ***

Brothers

Well this just didn't work. It was quite weak in the script and acting departments, despite having the amazing Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman. I guess the director just didn't inspire them to give a shit about the concept of this film. It was too weak to be a commentary on the trauma of war, and not hard enough to be a sibling rivalry drama. Pretty much just nothing happened. There were tons of awkward silences and strange conversations (and this was supposed to be a couple that met at 16).

Tobey Maguire was the weakest link. He's not masculine enough to fool us into believing he's a soldier. His little girly voice and thin arms were laughable, although his post-war psycho state was a little more believable. He should have switched places with Jake, who himself wasn't giving a lot to work with. Portman was especially dull here, too.

C+