Brothers

R

Released Dec 4, 2009

1 hr. 44 min.

Drama

War

Mystery & Thriller

List

64%

158 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Siblings Sam (Tobey Maguire) and Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhaal) are as far apart as brothers can be; while Sam serves his country as a Marine, Tommy is a drifter who just got out of prison. When Sam is shot down and presumed dead in Afghanistan, Tommy vows to take care of Sam's wife, Grace (Natalie Portman), and his children. Tommy and Grace become close, and when Sam unexpectedly returns home, the consequences of their actions threaten the foundation of the entire family.

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Critics Consensus

It plays more like a traditional melodrama than the Susanne Bier film that inspired it, but Jim Sheridan's Brothers benefits from rock-solid performances by its three leads.

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Gigs V

The acting is phenomenal in this. (Ignore below commenter Jeff M). Not sure that they know what the term 'melodramatic' is. This is a film about PTSD, the effects of war, and how people deal with grief (in sometimes very bad ways). Nothing melodramatic about it. Melodrama is overreacting because someone spilt coffee on your shirt.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/11/24

Full Review

Jeff M

Overwrought, unconvincing drama with Maguire miscast. Portman fine. Gyllenhaal best in show. Some nice moments but overly melodramatic.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/04/24

Full Review

The Great John A

Brothers from same mothers. A film that has been forgotten for quite some time, Brothers is a good film but not a film I would suggest to critics like me. The performances from the three main leads are harrowing (Tobey's best performance, he was casted perfectly) but it seems like the bowling ball is lined up perfectly, until it curves, knocking 3 skittles with barriers in the process. What I'm trying to say is, it has everything to make it good but it stumbles trying to get the point across with cringeworthy dialogue and storytelling is too trope enough to get a sense of what it's trying to tell you. I think if the film is made now, it would have a lot of improved storytelling and dialogue to make you thrilled to the point of making an ending much satisfying. But unfortunately the film ends abruptly, with cringeworthy narrating and a song from U2... Really??? Overall it could of been better, it's acting and some scenes (especially the dinner table scene) do save it from grace. But thanks to dull storytelling and a terrible ending, it rests at three. Grade: B

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/23/24

Full Review

Alexandria M

It's a tough movie. His wife and brother are so wrong

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/14/24

Full Review

Nathaniel B

For what it is, it's an okay movie. What carried it surprisingly was the very solid acting from Tobey himself and of course Jake.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/22/23

Full Review

Aidan L

We get the real emotional value of these characters after two thirds of the film from the amazing performances of Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, and Jake Gyllenhaal, and by then, we are lost. Overall, this is a well-thought-out story of the impacts of warfare on the human mind.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/22/23

Full Review

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Jim Sheridan

Director

Tobey Maguire

Sam Cahill

Jake Gyllenhaal

Tommy Cahill

Natalie Portman

Grace Cahill

Sam Shepard

Hank Cahill

Bailee Madison

Isabelle Cahill

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

Although Brothers is not a first-rate film, it informs us about the after-effects of war and is worth seeing while we wait for better ones to come along.

Jan 16, 2018

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

... subtly yet brilliantly captures one soldier's fight to end the war in his mind months after leaving the battlefield.

Rated: A

Sep 12, 2017

Full Review

Laura Kern

Film Comment Magazine

Anyone fond of Danish director Susanne Bier's 2004 original should steer clear of this ill-advised though faithful remake by Jim Sheridan.

Sep 24, 2014

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Isn't a war movie. It's a movie about what happens after war, and in its own quiet way shows the toll war takes on not only the people overseas but those who stay home as well.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 31, 2021

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Bier's original film, which was a ballsier, more political and far grittier take on this story, carried with it a heavier, more universal tone.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 4, 2020

Full Review

Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

The entire cast is first-rate, especially Maguire, who shows a lot of range in a really difficult role.

Rated: B

May 11, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Siblings Sam (Tobey Maguire) and Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhaal) are as far apart as brothers can be; while Sam serves his country as a Marine, Tommy is a drifter who just got out of prison. When Sam is shot down and presumed dead in Afghanistan, Tommy vows to take care of Sam's wife, Grace (Natalie Portman), and his children. Tommy and Grace become close, and when Sam unexpectedly returns home, the consequences of their actions threaten the foundation of the entire family.

Director: Jim Sheridan
Executive Producer: Tucker Tooley, Zach Schiff-Abrams, Jon Feltheimer, Scott Fischer
Screenwriter: David Benioff
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Sighvatsson Films, Relativity, Michael De Luca
Rating: R (Some Disturbing Violent Conten|Language)
Genre: Drama, War, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 4, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 23, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $28.5M
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS

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