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      The Brother From Another Planet

      R Now Playing 1 hr. 44 min. Sci-Fi List
      89% 28 Reviews Tomatometer 75% 2,500+ Ratings Audience Score "The Brother" (Joe Morton) is an alien and escaped slave on the run from his home planet. After he lands in New York City, he tries to adapt to life on the streets of Harlem. Although the Brother is mute, he does have great abilities at fixing machines, and he gets a job. As the Brother tries to blend in with his new culture, he finds an apartment and gradually makes friends. Meanwhile, he is pursued by two agents from his home world who are intent on returning there with him. Read More Read Less Now in Theaters Now Playing Buy Tickets

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      The Brother From Another Planet

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      Critics Consensus

      Featuring director John Sayles trademark humanity and an expressive performance from Joe Morton, The Brother from Another Planet is an observant, dryly comic sci-fi gem.

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      Audience Reviews

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      kev k In comparison to modern movies, should be ten stars out of five. You actually care whether the MC lives or dies. The movie has a message, yes, but it makes it's points while never forgetting someone bought a ticket expecting to be entertained. The kind of movie no one in Hollywood is capable of making today Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/27/23 Full Review Taylor L The Brother from Another Planet is chock full of acting talent that would come into their prime once they were firmly middle-aged - Joe Morton in the lead role, with minor performances from a screeching David Strathairn and even an uncredited Giancarlo Esposito. Extras working on this film reportedly called it "the black E.T. movie", and that's not exactly an unfair comparison to make (and not just because he can make his hands glow and can't speak English). A mute alien slave crash lands on Earth, trying to make his way in society as his story parallels the broad strokes of the immigrant experience, or a modern slave flight. It's not the only movie to make the connection that "illegal alien = actual alien", with stories like Alien Nation and District 9 following similar paths. There's a bit of a modern bent to it (scenes of drug addiction and the general malaise of the working class in the '80s), and the film really has an empathetic portrayal with the confused perspective of Morton's nameless extraterrestrial. Seeing the welcoming pull of a local bar where he's affectionately called "brother" despite acting oddly and nobody there actually knowing him is one of the more sincere portrayals of the first-generation immigrant experience you can hope to see. The film gets a bit sloppy later on, not only with a pair of black-clad, greasy-hair alien slavecatchers that are oddly comical instead of intimidating, but when the film turns more into a series of loose vignettes rather than a really cohesive or impactful story. Still a neat concept. (3/5) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review georgan g This older film is still the most unique combo of sci fi and anti-racism I've ever seen. It's low budget so don't expect exciting special effects. The main character never speaks but still does some great acting. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review adam j. p Cult classic. Truly enjoyed this years ago, and still think it stands the test of time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Worth watching. Relevant, profound, and artful. Well cast. Spike Lee's future cinematographer is brilliant. It's always unfortunate when a white man tells the stories of nonwhites, but whatever. Sayles' storytelling covers a seeminly unlimited number of social realities. Slapstick moments are the "spoon full of sugar" that help the medicine go down. This film is important. Take your medicine. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member The best comedy movie ever made! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Brother From Another Planet

      The Brother From Another Planet (1984) The Brother From Another Planet (1984) The Brother From Another Planet (1984) The Brother From Another Planet (1984) The Brother From Another Planet (1984) The Brother From Another Planet (1984) John Morton as "The Brother" in a scene from John Sayles' THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET. John Sayles (l) and David Strathairn (r) as intergalactic bounty hunters in THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET. (L-R) Ren Woods (Bernice), Steve James (Odell), Daryl Edwards (Fly), Leonard Jackson (Smokey), Bill Cobbs (Walter), Tom Wright (Sam) in a scene from John Sayles' THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET. Joe Morton as "The Brother" with Dee Dee Bridgewater as "Malverne Davis". View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (28) Critics Reviews
      Paul Attanasio Washington Post Sayles is no storyteller; despite the verve of its language, "The Brother From Another Planet" eventually sags of its own weight. Jan 4, 2018 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader The two different ends require shifts in point of view that are beyond Sayles's talent as a visual storyteller, and the film does not cohere. Jun 4, 2007 Full Review Variety A vastly amusing but progressively erratic look at the Harlem adventures of an alien, a black E.T. Jun 4, 2007 Full Review Tom Meek Cambridge Day ...this one, something of a B-ish sci-fi dramadey, provides laughs as it provokes. Rated: 3/4 Aug 7, 2020 Full Review M.V. Moorhead Phoenix Magazine [A] charmingly low-tech sci-fi indie. Feb 18, 2020 Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm ...nearly topples over from the weight of its social commentary. Rated: 3/4 May 19, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis "The Brother" (Joe Morton) is an alien and escaped slave on the run from his home planet. After he lands in New York City, he tries to adapt to life on the streets of Harlem. Although the Brother is mute, he does have great abilities at fixing machines, and he gets a job. As the Brother tries to blend in with his new culture, he finds an apartment and gradually makes friends. Meanwhile, he is pursued by two agents from his home world who are intent on returning there with him.
      Director
      John Sayles
      Screenwriter
      John Sayles
      Distributor
      IFC Films
      Production Co
      A-Train Films
      Rating
      R (Some Drug Content|Language|Brief Nudity)
      Genre
      Sci-Fi
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Sep 7, 1984, Wide
      Rerelease Date (Theaters)
      Apr 5, 2002
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Jan 19, 2017
      Sound Mix
      Stereo
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