My Brother the Devil

There is a lot more to this movie than the title/synopsis tells.

Very well directed, but the consistent high acting from everyone especially the teenagers, is amazing. The character development(and changes) catches you off guard....in a good way.

It is advertised as two brothers on the streets of London, but it is really a coming-of-age story about how environment/people influence what we are and what we do. It is a slow-moving movie, so do not expect 'Gangs of New York' or some type of gangster action movie. This movie is for those that enjoy a good drama that you can remember after watching it.

Recommended those like good old fashion movie-making, without the CGI, high body count or overpriced actors who can't act.

James Floyd and Fady Elsayed rivet your attention as older and younger brothers, UK-born of Egyptian parents, who have hopes and, therefore, frustrations living in council-houses London. As with so many young, poor males in that milieu, the only immediate path to some kind of decent income is in the gang activities commonplace in their part of town.

And yet this movie avoids every clichéd turn of plot suggested by the familiar premises of the story. The drama is consistently fresh. The developments, though surprising, are invariably right. This movie will hold your attention and its characters your sympathy from the opening scene to the last blackout.

I'd also mention that a lot of the movie is in closeup so it helps that James Floyd is very easy to look at. The most perfect nose without rhinoplasty I ever saw. Jim Smith

You could cynically call this another "drug" movie that plays out, while using the backdrop of a family. A family that has more than a few issues obviously. But you wouldn't be fair to the movie if you did that. You might not be in the mood for the movie or you might have seen a similar formula being used before, but the movie is more than decent.

You got two brothers (title is a bit of a give away), one deep inside the "business", the other one seeming to be too naive to be able to comprehend any of it. Still you can see that there is a lot of seduction (money, women, "fame") and it's difficult to resist. Or is it? Obviously things happen and evolve. While there is no nudity, sexuality plays a role, in case you were wondering.

I saw the film at Sundance and I really liked it. The film represents a realistic portrayal of inner-city London gangs and the performances of the lead actors are excellent. In particular, the performance of James Floyd, who has a powerful and engaging on-screen presence deserves praise.

Don't be fooled into thinking this is just another low budget London gangs film. It is much more than that and the quality of the cast and crew shines through in the final product. The cinematography gives the film a truly authentic feel, giving it firmer foundations than many others of its kind.

This is definitely worth a watch and I hope the film gets recognised with more awards.

This was a real highlight at Sundance, an incredible movie, has all the grittiness a street film should have, but with real heart. The story is familiar, but Sally El Hosaini's script keeps it fresh by introducing unexpected twists that keep you wanting to find out what's coming next. Without giving any of those twists away, this is basically a film about two brothers and how their relationship changes as the younger one who has always looked up to the elder grows disenchanted with him, while trying to define himself as a man (which he isn't quite yet). Setting that story in the midst of London gang life pushes the poignancy of the story with great effect. Beautiful cinematography by David Raedeker and the outstanding acting of James Floyd and Fady Elsayed make this a real treat.