The Reel Deal
Brothers(rated R) - starring Jake Gyllenhall, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, and Bailee Madison
An Afghanistan war vet(Maguire) returns home after being thought to be killed-in-action, to find that he cannot cope with personal and societal issues - even thinking that his previously no-good brother(Gyllenhall) had been having an affair with his wife(Portman).
The script and plot lines were poorly constructed and awkward in just a few places, eliciting short-term disappointment, and there is little chemistry between Portman and Maguire. Individually, the performances were outstanding - and at least two are worthy of Oscar consideration, ie., Bailee Madison, as one of Maguire/Portman's two young daughters, is the next Dakota Fanning, portraying a range of emotions seemingly uncanny for such a young(although already seasoned) actress. And then there's Maguire - with a performance on the same level as Robert Deniro in Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, or Raging Bull(for which De Niro won the Oscar!)
An intense film, on the order of The Messenger, but not quite as compelling to see at high-dollar prices, so see it at the matinee. But if you miss it - oh Brother!
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Everybody's Fine(rated PG-13) - starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell
Do NOT miss this film! One of the year's best - a retrospective of human nature and parental instinct, in conflict with real life. The lovelies Barrymore and Beckinsale play De Niro's daughters, a man attempting to reconnect with his children after the passing of his long-time wife. While Barrymore melts your heart with every scene she is in, this film will define De Niro, as True Grit defined John Wayne, and could propel him towards an Oscar nomination! Bring your Kleenex(yeah, you guys, especially!), but believe you me - Everybody's Fine!
An Afghanistan war vet(Maguire) returns home after being thought to be killed-in-action, to find that he cannot cope with personal and societal issues - even thinking that his previously no-good brother(Gyllenhall) had been having an affair with his wife(Portman).
The script and plot lines were poorly constructed and awkward in just a few places, eliciting short-term disappointment, and there is little chemistry between Portman and Maguire. Individually, the performances were outstanding - and at least two are worthy of Oscar consideration, ie., Bailee Madison, as one of Maguire/Portman's two young daughters, is the next Dakota Fanning, portraying a range of emotions seemingly uncanny for such a young(although already seasoned) actress. And then there's Maguire - with a performance on the same level as Robert Deniro in Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, or Raging Bull(for which De Niro won the Oscar!)
An intense film, on the order of The Messenger, but not quite as compelling to see at high-dollar prices, so see it at the matinee. But if you miss it - oh Brother!
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Everybody's Fine(rated PG-13) - starring Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell
Do NOT miss this film! One of the year's best - a retrospective of human nature and parental instinct, in conflict with real life. The lovelies Barrymore and Beckinsale play De Niro's daughters, a man attempting to reconnect with his children after the passing of his long-time wife. While Barrymore melts your heart with every scene she is in, this film will define De Niro, as True Grit defined John Wayne, and could propel him towards an Oscar nomination! Bring your Kleenex(yeah, you guys, especially!), but believe you me - Everybody's Fine!
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