Brothers (2009)

A young man comforts his older brother's wife and children after he goes missing in Afghanistan.

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers:

David Benioff (screenplay), Susanne Bier (motion picture "Brødre")

Stars:

Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 4 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tobey Maguire	...	Capt. Sam Cahill
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Tommy Cahill
Natalie Portman	...	Grace Cahill
Sam Shepard	...	Hank Cahill
Mare Winningham	...	Elsie Cahill
Bailee Madison	...	Isabelle Cahill
Taylor Geare	...	Maggie Cahill
Patrick John Flueger	...	Private Joe Willis (as Patrick Flueger)
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Major Cavazos
Carey Mulligan	...	Cassie Willis
Omid Abtahi	...	Yusuf
Navid Negahban	...	Murad
Ethan Suplee	...	Sweeney
Arron Shiver	...	A.J.
Ray Prewitt	...	Owen

Storyline

Before leaving on his second tour in Afghanistan, Marine Captain Sam Cahill, a leader, an athlete, a good husband and father, welcomes his screw-up brother Tommy home from prison. He'd robbed a bank. In country, Sam's helicopter is shot down and all are presumed dead. Back home, while Sam wastes away as a prisoner in a remote encampment, Tommy tries to take care of the widow and her two children. While imprisoned, Sam experiences horrors unbearable, so when he's rescued and returns home, he's silent, detached, without affect, and he's convinced his wife and brother have slept together. Demons of war possess him; what will silence them?

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Plot Keywords:

afghanistan | presumed dead | marine | grief | prisoner | 

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Taglines:

There are two sides to every family

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some disturbing violent content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Carey Mulligan mentioned in an interview at the Sundance Festival that she got the role after sending an audition tape to America; when they shot her scenes, it was at about 3.00am, and it was largely improvised (something she enjoyed). She called it a "trial by fire".

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Goofs

When Grace reads the letter, the paper and the envelope are much bigger than they were when she originally received them after Sam's presumed death.

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Quotes

Tommy Cahill: Your nose is like the lunar eclipse. Come on let me touch it.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The Road/Ninja Assassin/Old Dogs (2009)

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Soundtracks

Eternal Father Strong to Save
(1860)
United States Navy Hymn
Traditional
Music by John B. Dykes (uncredited)
Lyrics by William Whiting (uncredited)

User Reviews

Guilt and Forgiveness

Two brothers, one returning from prison, one heading as a Marine to Afghanistan.

This film is apparently a remake of a Danish film that had the same story line.

But it didn't have Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal! Maguire reaches into the darkest corners of his soul to flesh out the good brother, the Marine, who returns from Afghanistan with a staggering burden of guilt.

Gyllenhaal is amazing, transforming an angry, unsure ex-con into a believable figure of redemption, slowly growing before our eyes as the story unfolds.

Natalie Portman is excellent and look for Carey Mulligan's four minutes of screen time.

This is not an anti-war film except in the sense that any film that shows war either glorifies it unrealistically or jars us into questioning, if it is realistic. The scenes in Afghanistan seem authentic. The tortures are not so so graphic as some of the other reviews imply. They will cause you to wince, but its good film making, not microscopic detail.

I want to search out Susanne Bier's 2005 film "Broedre"--it can't lessen the impact of this one, however.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brothers

Filming Locations:

Abiquiu, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,527,848, 6 December 2009

Gross USA:

$28,544,157

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,474,578

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lionsgate, Relativity Media, Sighvatsson Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1