Brotherhood

I rarely take the time to sit down and write a review after watching movies, but for Brotherhood I opted to make an exception. This movie was so wonderfully composed I hardly know where to begin. It had everything I look for in a movie, depth, superb acting, chemistry between characters, intriguing/thought provoking plot, and a well-choreographed cinematography.

Let's just start with the two main characters, Lars and Jimmy. I mentioned already that the two of them had great chemistry, and nowhere is that more apparent then in scenes where the two of them become intimate. There is a wonderful tenderness between the two that is communicated simply through body language and fleeting glances. You can tell exactly what they're thinking about one another with every glance.... the fear, hesitation, longing, it's all said without words. Beautifully done.

What makes the relationship between Lars and Jimmy even more striking is by having it take place against the backdrop of the intolerant Neo-Nazi organization that both men belong to. It adds a whole new sense of irony and suspense to the story, while also casting a looming sense of foreboding over their entire relationship.

You just know after watching the beginning scene (in which a gay man is brutally beaten into hospitalization by the brotherhood), that something terrible is going to happen to Jimmy and Lars if anyone ever finds out. I found myself biting my nails through the whole movie just hoping that they'd avoid that type of situation.

Unfortunately, there is a fair bit of violence at the end, but perhaps not from places you might expect it from initially. In any case, I felt more or less content with how the director chose to resolve the film. He didn't pretty anything up for us or give us a fairytale ending by any means, but he didn't completely crush our spirits either.

What he did do was deliver us a movie that was both deeply moving and tragically human. Mistakes were made, pain was delivered, betrayals were made, but intertwined throughout all the bad, there was beauty, compassion, acceptance, and love. It was a great movie and I would definitely recommend it to others without hesitation.

My one qualm with this movie has to do with Jimmy's background story. I would have liked just a bit more information as to what really motivated him to join the Aryan Brotherhood in the first place. Other than that, it was wonderful!

A gay romance happening inside a Danish Neo-Nazi clique, what a crack idea! The film intriguingly narrates a compassionate experience of a former Danish serviceman Lars (Thure Lindhardt, the winsome blond from ANGELS & DEMONS 2009), whose passionate courtship with Jimmy (superbly played by David Dencik from A SOAP 2006, another 8/10 film from Denmark, a frenzy macho role sheerly contrasts with his transsexual image in the latter film), who is the fervent skinhead among a gay-bashing Neo-Nazi group. (Speaking of Nazism, my downright ignorance thwart me from the knowledge of how exact the film tackles with the thorny issue, judging by the film, it is basically understated I suppose).

There are abundant cinematic conflicts in the plot, although predictable, but applied deftly (by a poignant performance from the two leads and a fine-tuned hand-held camera movement, it never cease trembling). An exemplary northern Europe topography and scenario imbues an obscure hue of cruelty and restlessness.

The performances are solid (Morten Holst, who plays Jimmy's younger brother, might be a tad histrionic), both the chemistry between two lead actors and the impending tragedy are brewed perfectly on time and the sex scenes are aesthetically beguiling. More encouraging, the film doesn't take either stand to beautify or disparage the Neo-Nazi image, while love happens everywhere, so does gay love. An ambiguous deus ex machina aptly averts any cliché in the over-exploited gay-theme melodrama sub-genre although melodramatic might not be a meritorious adjective for a film under the background of a sternly violent context, but also demystifies the remotely tangible target to a humane understanding and transmits a positive message to the preconception-ridden society.

Ah, the magic and confusing explosive mixture of machismo and sexuality!!! There is no other institution with such discomfort at the mention of homosexuality, than the military. It certainly makes a lot of sense. If your purpose is spilling of the blood, what do you do with arousal and men loving ? Well, the skinheads are based on the same false patriotic and quasi-military principals. Shaved heads, extremely tight pants, loud music, cheap beer, and almost exclusively male company.No surprise than, that Lars and Jimmy hit it off so well nor that it ended so badly. Nothing filthier than moronic notions of purity, racial or sexual. The nature of humankind is exactly the lack of purity and aching imperfection of us all. Whenever you try to take that away, you destroy the essence of our existence.where do you go after that?

I found this movie to be absolutely stunning in terms of direction and acting. The two lead actors were absolutely great and believable in their performances. The director was great at capturing moments of erotic tension and tenderness between the two leads. In terms of plot and story-writing there are certainly some flaws that could have been better worked out, but I really appreciated the way the theme was approached and developed. The neo nazi ideology was certainly one of the main themes but the director and the writers weren't too judgmental and they let the characters shine regardless of the reasons that brought them to be a part of such a violent and racist community. I certainly advice to watch it, cause it gives a good depiction of a "different" homosexual relationship not framable in the usual stereotypes of gay love. Good job!

The strength of this movie definitely lies with the brilliant actors in it and the director's ability to let them shine.

I didn't expect the story and the plot to be perfect and it wasn't. The main character Lars' decision to get involved with the Nazi community is a tiny bit contrived but no more than you would expect when it is told with a few short scenes before the movie is allowed to focus on the human aspects of the story and dwell on the consequences of the character's action without being judgmental or painting any of the characters solely in black or white. Something that is rather a bit of an achievement with this particular subject matter. Enough good cannot be said of the amazingly honest and heart-wrenching performances of the two lead actors. They are both incredibly talented and the director obviously appreciated this. The result is a chilling but also a very intimate and at times tender film. Well worth seeing.