I generally try to avoid movies that have anything to do with Afghanistan or Iraq, but Brothers’ trailer got me interested enough to break my self imposed ban, and I’m glad it did.

In the flick Capt. Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is called on to do another tour of duty in Afghanistan, leaving his wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and his two daughters home to fend for themselves. Not long after he arrives in Afghanistan, Sam is involved in an accident and presumed dead. His criminal brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) decides to try to straighten up his life and works hard at being there for his brother’s wife and daughters during this difficult time in their lives. Only, Sam isn’t dead at all, he is being held as a prisoner of war and enduring a multitude of torturous acts at the hands of his captors. Miraculously Sam makes it home, but he’s not the same man he was when he left.

The marketing of the flick made it seem like a love triangle movie, but it’s actually about the emotional trauma brought on by war. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I connected with this movie. Like I said, I don’t usually dig flicks involving Afghanistan or Iraq and I really don’t identify with remakes either. This particular flick had both strikes against it. I haven’t seen the original flick, Brødre by writer/director Susanne Bier, but after seeing Brothers I’m going to check it out as soon as I can.

Director Jim Sheridan did a fine job with this story and he picked a fine cast as well. All of the actors dialed in solid performances, but for this reviewer it was Tobey Maguire that stood out. He lost a lot of weight for this flick, he played a character that I’ve never seen him play before, a character that demanded your attention every time he was on screen. Brothers is a solid picture and a welcome break from all the drivel I’ve been seeing lately.

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Tags: Brothers, Brødre, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jim Sheridan, natalie portman, Susanne Bier, Tobey Maguire