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IMDbPro

7 Chinese Brothers

  • 20152015
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 16m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
Sharing a small apartment with his sleepy French bulldog, an unmotivated thirty-something slacker lands a job at a Quick Lube to be close to the shop's beautiful manager. Has he found a new purpose in life? Is there still hope?
Play trailer1:58
3 Videos
18 Photos
Comedy
Sharing a small apartment with his sleepy French bulldog, an unmotivated thirty-something slacker lands a job at a Quick Lube to be close to the shop's beautiful manager. Has he found a new ... Read allSharing a small apartment with his sleepy French bulldog, an unmotivated thirty-something slacker lands a job at a Quick Lube to be close to the shop's beautiful manager. Has he found a new purpose in life? Is there still hope?Sharing a small apartment with his sleepy French bulldog, an unmotivated thirty-something slacker lands a job at a Quick Lube to be close to the shop's beautiful manager. Has he found a new purpose in life? Is there still hope?
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
    • Bob Byington
    • Bob Byington
  • Stars
    • Jason Schwartzman
    • Olympia Dukakis
    • Tunde Adebimpe
    • Bob Byington
    • Bob Byington
  • Stars
    • Jason Schwartzman
    • Olympia Dukakis
    • Tunde Adebimpe
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 22User reviews
    • 30Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:58
    Watch Official Trailer
    Clubbing
    Clip 2:03
    Watch Clubbing
    7 Chinese Brothers at SXSW 2015
    Interview 2:41
    Watch 7 Chinese Brothers at SXSW 2015

    Photos18

    Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Olympia Dukakis at an event for 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Bob Byington and Stephen Root at an event for 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman at an event for 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Richard Linklater, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Byington, and Stephen Root at an event for 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Jason Schwartzman and Bob Byington in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)
    Olympia Dukakis and Eleanore Pienta in 7 Chinese Brothers (2015)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jason Schwartzman
    Jason Schwartzman
    • Larry
    Olympia Dukakis
    Olympia Dukakis
    • Grandma
    Tunde Adebimpe
    Tunde Adebimpe
    • Major Norwood
    Eleanore Pienta
    Eleanore Pienta
    • Lupe
    Stephen Root
    Stephen Root
    • George
    Arrow Schwartzman
    • Arrow the Dog
    Jimmy Gonzales
    Jimmy Gonzales
    • Jimmy
    John Gatins
    John Gatins
    • Dinsmore
    Jonathan Togo
    Jonathan Togo
    • Don
    Josh Meyer
    Josh Meyer
    • Reginald
    Ted Beck
    • Cashier
    Chris Doubek
    Chris Doubek
    • Daryl
    Grover Coulson
    Grover Coulson
    • Mr. Johnson
    Alex Karpovsky
    Alex Karpovsky
    • Kaminsky
    Jennifer Prediger
    Jennifer Prediger
    • Woman with glasses
    Charlie LaRose
    Charlie LaRose
    • Woman's Friend
    Anna Margaret Hollyman
    Anna Margaret Hollyman
    • Angry Audrey
    Michael Tully
    Michael Tully
    • Religious Man
      • Bob Byington
      • Bob Byington
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The lead dog in the film is actor Jason Scwartzman's real dog Arrow.
    • Quotes

      Grandma: 90 percent of the equation is just showing up.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Jason Schwartzman/Tatiana Maslany/Dan White (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Since You're Gone
      Written by Ric Ocasek

      Performed by The Cars

      Published by Universal Music Publishing Group

      Courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group

      By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

    User reviews22

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Less a film, more a thought that surprisingly works
    Bob Byington's 7 Chinese Brothers is less a film and more an idea, a thought, or even a potential TV show pilot. At seventy-one minutes in length, it's a film that practically questions what can be done with a film that has no cogent plot and relies on one simple, yet complex, character and his circumstances, most of which caused by his obnoxious attitude or his general indifference. On that basis alone, the film shouldn't be half as successful as it is, but through its feet-dragging narrative, practically impulsive structure, and low stakes, I did admittedly enjoy this film.

    This film isn't laugh out loud funny, nor is it particularly compelling or insightful. It gives us Larry (Jason Schwartzman), a man evidently in his early thirties, living alone with his bulldog, who gets fired from his restaurant job minutes into the film for sneaking drinks at the bar. He wanders over to Quick Lube for an oil change, asks the cute manager girl for an application, and soon enough, he's working for an incorrigible man named Jimmy (Jimmy Gonzales), who encourages him to steal any spare change out of customers' vehicles. On top of all that, he's constantly going back and forth to the nursing home to visit his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis), who remains his last living relative, in addition to seeing his friend Major Norwood (Tunde Adebimpe).

    Larry is the kind of character only Jason Schwartzman could play to great effect, for he conveys multiple different feelings with nearly every line or facial expression he conjures up. Larry is also the kind of character that acts like he has everything under control and that his cleverness and falsified feelings of self-worth will carry him to the places he needs to be. The problem is Larry really isn't half as good as he thinks he is, and this results for a lot of awkward scenarios thanks to Larry's random jokes/physical comedy and a multitude of impulsive, inappropriate actions that have consequences on his part.

    Schwartzman has to carry a lion's weight of Byington's film on his back, and with that, succeeds because without a dynamic screen presence, 7 Chinese Brothers could've fallen apart in its first few minutes. But because Byington keeps the film moving, through fluid scenes that reflect humor and believable, albeit rather light, drama and never stalls into romantic or comedic clichés, the film, in turn, keeps moving and assembling a fun and breezy personality.

    I have no idea what relevance the title has towards the story, nor can I figure out the takeaway from this film other than life can pass you by if you think you're funnier and more important than you actually are. However, through very little in the way narrative structure and flair and glamour, Byington has made 7 Chinese Brothers work almost solely on the charisma and dynamic talents of his leading actor, in addition to making this a largely fun, project. At the end of it all, I can admire that.

    Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Olympia Dukakis, Tunde Adebimpe, and Jimmy Gonzales. Directed by: Bob Byington.
    helpful•6
    6
    • StevePulaski
    • Sep 1, 2015

    Details

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    • Release date
      • April 13, 2016 (Australia)
      • United States
      • Greece
      • Official Facebook
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Crestview Minimax IGA, 7108 Woodrow Ave., Austin, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • 8750 Films
      • Faliro House Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 16 minutes
      • Color

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