The Brothers Bloom feels different from any crime caper you've ever seen, even though its machinations still revolve around con artists who play tricks on each other -- and the audience.
Suite101.com
September 25, 2010
Rian Johnson injects punchy, off-kilter fantastical charm into his playfully globetrotting film. It's like a cuckoo clock - precise, ornate and screwy-looking. But Bloom and Penelope's love - and resultant rifts - comes off as real-world collateral.
The Brothers Bloom is quirky and clever. Set in the present but with a perfectly judged retro feel, it looks fabulous too. Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi almost steals the film with her deadpan presence as Bang Bang, the gang's explosives expert.
It pulls the perfect con, which Ruffalo's character defines as a con where everyone gets what they want. The audience gets exactly what they want: A wild ride with an ending they won't see coming.
