Petits mensonges entre frères

A beautiful woman gets into Ed Burns' cab, and asks him to drive her to New Orleans. What guy wouldn't relate to this fundamental fantasy? This is a guy's movie. It has brilliant observations on the love-hate relationship between brothers, and also on the Irish-American family. "You don't even believe in God," Ed Burns says to his sermonising father. "That doesn't mean I can't be a good Catholic," his father replies. There are countless twists, and countless funny lines. Ed Burns is some kinda genius. A fabulous, truthful, instant-favourite movie.

I'm not sure why I've rented this film 3 times in the last couple of years. The characters are well developed, Tom Petty's sound track is very good and there are the gorgeous gals of course (Diaz, Anniston, Bahns), but there's more to it. This is an excellent, but perhaps not classic, drama posing as a romantic comedy. It's about morality and responsibility in a time when there is no morality and responsibility.. about love and family in a time when the definition of these words has become blurred. It cuts pretty close to home at times.. and there are those beautiful women.

A fast-moving and nimble comedy with witty dialogue, an intelligent script, well-developed characters and a credible ethnic ethos. It's unpretentious and amiable, yet truly acerbic when it needs to be. The acting is mostly first-rate.

Well done, Burns!

(I guess all of this will make the delayed-maturity stratum of movie fans truly averse to this movie...)

This is the kind of movie that I like. The plot is well-written and well-directed. I like Edward Burns as an actor and writer. Even so, there are some pretty significant flaws in this execution of this wonderful idea.

The most substantial problem problem with the movie is the casting of Maxine Bahns. She is a very poor actress. Since she was cast in the earlier "The Brothers McMullen", also written and directed by Edward Burns, I assume there is a friendship that misdirected that decision.

Some of the characters don't play out quite right. The role of the brother, played my Mike McGlone, is well acted, but the writing made that character a little too two dimensional. I think there was a opportunity to create a character with a little more complexity than the wealthy, uncaring, superficial husband.

There were some good performances by actors on their way to being A-list players. Cameron Diaz turns in an exceptional performance. Jennifer Aniston also shows her acting chops. Amanda Peet also turns in a short, but well-executed performance.

In spite of some of the casting flaws and missed opportunities for some depth in characterizations, this is a very enjoyable movie. If you like character and plot-driven movies, this is a worthwhile way to spend some time.

Edward Burns is to be admired for directing this (in places) wonderful "slice of life", examining the intricacies of relationships, the ideas of romantic love and sibling rivalry. The family unit (Mike McGlone, Edward Burns, John Mahoney) is excellently conveyed. The father and younger brother (an impressive performance from both the actors) display (initially) a rampant misogynist, a far cry from the character Edward Burns plays.

The cast is rounded off with a very good Jennifer Aniston as the cheated-against wife, who has her "needs", not fulfilled sexually, a beautiful and contained Maxine Bahns and a vulnerable and (at the same time) brittle and almost defiant Cameron Diaz.

It's a good movie, with good acting, and good lines.As in all Romantic Comedies, the story is quite predictable. However, it's an engaging film, and involves the viewer.

Recommended