Watch The Brothers Bloom
- PG-13
- 2008
-
6.7 (52,897)
The Brothers Bloom is a 2008 dark comedy-drama film written and directed by Rian Johnson. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, and Mark Ruffalo as three con artist brothers: Stephen (Ruffalo), the elder brother and mastermind behind their schemes; Bloom (Brody), the introspective and cautious middle brother; and Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), their explosives expert sidekick.
The film begins with the three brothers as children, being taught the art of conning by their mentor and father figure, a man known simply as "Diamond Dog" (Maximilian Schell). As adults, Stephen convinces Bloom to come out of retirement for one last job, a grand con involving an eccentric heiress named Penelope Stamp (Weisz) who inherited a massive fortune from her industrialist family. The brothers, aided by Bang Bang, plan to swindle Penelope out of millions of dollars by posing as antique collectors and seducing her on a romantic adventure across Europe.
As the con goes on, Bloom begins to have second thoughts about the morality of the brothers' lifestyle, particularly when he starts to fall for Penelope for real. The plot thickens as it becomes clear that Penelope may not be as naive and innocent as Stephen initially thought, and as their con starts to become more dangerous than they anticipated.
The Brothers Bloom is a stylish and suspenseful film that blends elements of crime thriller, romantic comedy, and art heist caper. Johnson's direction is inventive and visually striking, with a particular emphasis on whimsical production design and clever editing techniques that keep the audience guessing. The cast is uniformly excellent, with Weisz delivering a standout performance as a quirky and intelligent woman who may or may not be playing her own game.
The film also features a memorable score by composer Nathan Johnson (Rian's cousin), who incorporates elements of classical orchestration, gypsy folk music, and even hip-hop into the eclectic soundtrack. The Brothers Bloom is a film that defies categorization, offering a unique and original take on the traditional con artist story. It is a thoroughly enjoyable movie that will keep you guessing until the very end.
The Brothers Bloom is a 2008 adventure movie. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 55.