The Sisters Brothers

I really enjoyed this film, it combined a variety of western aspects such as the generic shootouts, the gold rush, bounty hunting, experimenting with new science and of course friendship/family, overall I felt it successfully achieved this blend in an interesting and occasionally emotional story. I can see why others may have not clicked with this film as it is definitely character and performance driven, rather than having a story that compelled you throughout. The choice of actors was amazing, whilst they have all achieved much higher performances individually, especially Phoenix and Gyllenhaal, they were still fantastic together and had their moments to shine.

So I saw The Sisters Brothers at the theater. I really didn't know what to expect from the movie going in. The trailer made it seem to be a strange buddy comedy western, but I'm a fan of all of the actors so I wanted to give it a chance. Thankfully this was a case of an absolutely misleading trailer. I really enjoyed the end product and think this is one of the best westerns made in years.

The movie is a gritty and at times nihilistic western heavy on atmosphere and dialogue. The film tells two parallel stories that eventally connect as the bounty hunters the Sisters Brother chase after their prey a scientist who has discovered an efficient way to find gold. Along the way both parties encounter struggles that really emphasize the hardships of that era. This is not the kind of western with good and bad guys. Everyone is morally grey and is just trying to survive the best they can.

Anyone looking for an grand and extravagant plot should look elsewhere. The movie is far more about the journey than the destination. The initial conflict acts as a MacGuffin. The real meat of the plot is more of a character study on the brutality of the wild west and the impact it has on the individual. The film plays with traditional Hollywood tropes and the audience's own expectation to craft it's own unique voice of the era.

The brutal nature of the film was one of my favorite parts. The film really ripped away the glamour of a silver screen western and left it bleeding on a table. The movie makes it clear that life was hard, fast, and cheap. A random spider bite, visit to the doctors, or drunken hangover on a horse could easily end a person's life. There was no time for finding something to make you happy when everyday was a struggle to survive. This added realism really captured the nihilistic feel of the movie and added a bleak and somber tone to the film's progression.

The film was also very well directed and shot. The cinematography of the action scenes were fast and fluid, but never felt choppy. This by no means the kind of western with epic battles, but the action suited the overall tone of the film. The director also really did a good job with the set pieces as you really felt like you were in the wild west. The film was exceptionally well shot. The films at times was absolutely stunning to look at. The film also provides an excellent score to match the intense atmosphere the film cultivates.

Acting wise John C Reilly stole the show. It's always nice to see him in films like this to remind everyone what kind of range he has as an actor. Joaquin Phoenix also delivers as the alcoholic and and fast tempered brother. Jake Gyllenhaal was solid as expected, but didn't really stand out in any way in the film. Still I don't have a single complaint about the acting in the film. Everyone did their jobs perfectly.

The film certainly was a very slow burn. It was heavy on dense dialogue and required quite a bit of attention. These are not negatives in my book as they were intentional, but this will not make people happy who are looking for a more traditional western. I will say that the film could have been cut down twenty or so minutes to speed up the flow of the plot. This slight pacing issue did make the film drag at times. The plot structure may be a bit of a turn off for some as well. The bleak and nihilistic flow of the film that puts the initial conflict as secondary may come across as anti-climatic for some.

In a lot of ways this is one of my favorite westerns I've seen in years. I love the actors, but it's the directors masterstrokes that really makes this movie stand out. It was all around one of the best made movies I have seen all year. It certainly had its flaws and it is not going to make anyone happy if they are expecting a traditional Western, but for those who care more about the journey and atmosphere this movie is for you. Unfortunately this movie is bombing in the box office, but it certainly deserves some praise for its accomplishments. A 8.25 out of 10.

The Sisters Brothers is directed and co-written by Jacques Audiard, his first English-language work. The film stars John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix as the notorious assassin brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters and the story follows the duo as they chase down two men that's played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed who have banded together to search for gold. Incredible acting throughout the film, all four of them were terrific. John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix were best though, their chemistry were great.

The story starts off simple but evolves into so much more, the script is great, with well written characters and a plot that keeps you interested. There's a lot of towns, cities and locations the characters visit and each is unique and non like the other, great production design. The story isn't the film's strong point though, it's the acting and cinematography as it's visually stunning, each scene satisfies your eyes... With great camera work, lightning, sets and overall authentic. It's some of the best cinematography I have seen, I believe. Benoît Debie did a phenomenal job, one that will hopefully give him many acclaim and maybe awards in the future. The costume department did a magnificent job at creating clothes that are both authentic and also recognizable as you can see who the character is by their clothes, that's a nice and important detail.

Alexandre Desplat's musical score is both powerful and mesmerizing, a soundtrack fitting perfectly with its time period. The sound mixing and editing is also top notch, everything sounds real.

Too bad that this was a box office bomb, but I can understand why. The pacing is quite slow and it is more about character development than action. The few gunfights that exists in the movie is quick and realistic, and brutal. The Sisters Brothers is a must watch if you're a fan of the western genre, as it's one hell of a good western and a beautiful film.

A stud line-up produces a solid modern western in a time when the genre has certainly lived way passed its prime. Never really dead, The Western, proves time and time again that even with its typical tropes, run-of-the-mill grizzled outlaws, and the learned sheepish "city" man that set out to settle for a better life; to risk all they knew to find the dream, that the genre still has something to give us.

The Sisters Brothers gives us a character study that focuses on the fraternity of brotherhood, and in this case, a very close look at a twisted one that at its core finds the fundamental values of what it means to be a brother. We have all seen Joaquin Phoenix play this type before; reckless and obstreperous, while we find Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed sharing screen time (again). But this is truly John C. Reilly's movie, who at first, is certainly overlooked and shown to us as the "lesser" brother. As we come to find out the truth we see the foils of Reilly's and Phoenix's character come full circle; ultimately seeing how their past has affected them. We notice (indirectly) how father figures are important role models, and to some extent we even get a taste of the affect mothers have on their kids as well as we see traits of either parent in both brothers as they film goes on. Reilly gets his iconic moment and really the final statement of how far he will go to protect his brother when the time comes, and it is awesome. Certainly the highlight of the entire film for me.

At times slow, the film has moments of wittiness and subtle humor that remains fresh throughout. The Sisters Brothers is definitely worth seeing as it makes its statement as a film of its genre with great performances, especially from Reilly.

'The Sisters Brothers' is one of those films that just sort of exists, without really trying to do or say anything of note. There's no real through-line to the narrative; it just follows seemingly unrelated events that the brothers experience, with the only real link being that they follow on from each other. The lack of a 'proper story' means that it's never really all that engaging or interesting. That being said it's far from boring, with some of the sequences being quite entertaining. Phoenix and Reilly are excellent throughout, too, and the assured direction means that it's a confidently crafted piece, so there's always a base level of investment there. The protagonists initially seem to be well-grounded, realistic characters, and their similarities and differences lead to a convincing brotherly duo. It's unfortunate, then, that despite their strong formation they aren't necessarily 'good characters'. Throughout the film they don't really change, and this lack of arcs makes the whole affair seem kind of pointless in the end. It could have, and probably should have, been a character study; most pictures of this ilk - those not following a traditional 'three-act' narrative, that is - tend to focus on delving deep into developing core characters, so it's a shame that this picture doesn't even manage that. Like I said though, it never manages to be boring - even if you can feel the length at times - and the direction and performances (Gyllenhaal and Ahmed are good, too, despite being severely underused) are always engaging. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it has all the right pieces, but it unfortunately just doesn't know what to do with them. 6/10