Advanced Review: "Brothers"

Before they became A-List actors, many people used to confuse Toby Maguire ("Spiderman") with Jake Gyllenhaal ("Donnie Darko"). Seeing as they do have similar characteristics, it's not hard to believe. A few years back, there was even a rumor that Jake was going to replace Toby as Peter Parker in "Spiderman 4" (which obviously turned out to be false). That being said, I'm sure no one would blame me for laughing when I found out that the two would star in a film called "Brothers". I mean, how perfect is that? That's about the only humorous aspect of Jim Sheriden's latest Oscar-worthy movie.

Sheriden is best known for directing such award winning films as "My Left Foot" and "In America". Now, with this intense drama... he yet again proves that he is one of the greatest directors of our time. Although he hasn't been extremely busy in terms of releasing movies... he certainly makes up for lost time with this one. "Brothers" is without a doubt the most powerful film you will see this year. What makes it so powerful, you ask? The amazing performances by Maguire, Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman. It's full of intense, awkward, and heartbreaking scene's that are made extremely effective by the top-notch acting abilities of our main characters. We are also introduced to a brand new child actor, Baiylee Madison. If Abigail Breslin could get an Oscar nomination for her performance in "Little Miss Sunshine", then it would be a sin for Madison not to get one. She is an amazing child actor, and hopefully we will see more of her in the future.

The story is made pretty clear in the trailer: a soldier goes to the middle east and supposedly gets killed. His wife becomes a widow, and the soldier's brother becomes close to her. Then, just as their lives seem to fall back into place, the wife finds out that her husband is still alive. He returns, but has a serious case of post-traumatic stress.

While the performances are excellent throughout the entire film, there is a scene towards the end (that I'm positive will be talked about by everyone who sees the movie) where Toby's character (who plays the brother with post-traumatic stress) has a complete mental breakdown. Without giving anything away, I will say that it is EXTREMELY intense, and contains the best acting I've seen all year. It's unforgettable, and makes the movie worth the price of admission alone, even though it's hard to watch.

While it's not in theaters yet, I totally recommend it once it is! It's a difficult film that will stick with you long after it ends, and it will likely receive Oscar recognition. It also contains the best performances of the actor's career's.

My Rating: 9 out of 10

*opens December 4th