Brother Tied

A hometown boy makes good with Brother Tied. It's so refreshing to see something come out of Colorado and gain recognition, other than South Park. Shot mainly in black and white, this film introduces Derek Cianfrance's great work behind the camera. The story of two brothers, who seem to be anything but that, and the struggles between them when one becomes best friends with a black man. The story pulls you along but it's the cinematography that pulls you in. And as an added bonus, people get to see a little slice of Longmont, Colorado (anything at the barber shop).

This film is not only a great first directorial effort, it's a solid, excellent film, well photographed and with some lovely touches. I saw it at the Florida Film Festival a while back, and I'm surprised that it hasn't had wider distribution. I hope Mr. Cianfrance is getting other opportunities to make films, perhaps with larger budgets. He seems to be a very talented guy, with confidence, subtlety, and maturity already evident in his work.