A family at war
By Daniel Dercksen

The world has always been at war, especially on film.

Whether it's the war in Vietnam, riots and racial reconciliation in South Africa, the world at war, individuals at war in reality TV courtroom dramas, a war to reconcile religious strives, or a war ignited amongst family and siblings, this battlefield of human emotions has always provided spectacular drama for storytellers across the globe. 

Brothers is a great example of how the conventions imposed by the war genre has evolved: just as a football field became a warzone in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday, so does the home of a working-class family in small-town America become a battlefield.

Like Coming Home, The Deer Hunter and Stop Loss, it explores the war at home: how war makes itself felt off the battlefield, in the domestic lives of soldiers and their families, and the ultimate and tragic effect war has on the living.

In Brothers, the exterior and physical journey of a soldier at war merges with that of the internal journey with a soldier and his family who have to be reborn after the devastation of war.

The explosive battle that erupts amongst family members sitting around a dinner table, is strongly contrasted with family members watching their loved ones executed in the desert in Afghanistan.

It is a futile situation that strips the characters bare, exposing their weaknesses and forcing them on a path of transfiguration on their journey to redemption.

It powerfully uses war as a catalyst for a family to face their demons and to reconcile their differences.

The premise of Brothers questions what happens when a human being is damaged deeply and forced to take action; this age-old dilemma offers endless possibilities for its flawed characters to reveal their true identity.

In essence, it's a coming of age tale where grown-ups learn to be kids and not take things too seriously, and the kids have old souls that have to relearn the joys of childhood.

In Brothers, it's the children who force the adults to re-evaluate their lives, while the adults are forced to leave the prison of their clustered lives and go outside to play in the snow.

Brothers is very much a character driven narrative, a human drama about characters who desperately try to make the most of their lives.

There are events that have great influence on their lives - the war in Afghanistan, the broken family unit, a criminal history - events that are out of their control and force them to face their differences and take action to restore the balance that has turned their lives inside out and poisoned their ideals.

Brothers is the story of two brothers living unfamiliar and opposing lives: one constructive and the other destructive.

Jake Gyllenhaal is in top form as Tommy, the destructive force; the black sheep and street rebel who grows up in the shadow of his 'perfect' brother and feels that he is not loved.

Toby Maguire delivers a powerful performance as Sam, the constructive brother; a well loved family man and respected soldier whose life is destroyed by war and is burdened with a dark secretive anger and paranoia.

It explores the things that build a man up and the things that break a man down.

During the journey of the story, being part of a family builds Tommy up from the brink of destruction, and Sam, who has been the straight-arrow all his life, is broken down by war and the violent loss of moral clarity.

There are powerful themes in Brothers that audiences can easily identify with: the central theme of the enduring possibility of forgiveness and healing, is well supported by the sub-themes dealing with the dynamics of family relationships and the long shadow cast by war.

If ever you've carried hatred or resentment towards others, Brothers is an ideal way to filter your emotions through the eyes of filmmaker Jim Sheridan, who paints a touching and endearing portrait of the human condition.

Brothers is a perfect vehicle for Sheridan, having explored the intricacies of familial relationships and the ordeals of working class families in My Left Foot, In The Name of the Father, The Boxer and In America.

Armed with powerhouse performances from his ensemble cast, Sheridan's unobtrusive approach into the story and the lives of the characters strikes an emotional blow.

Although Brothers is a finely crafted film, it is structurally flawed. These are surprising flaws from screenwriter David Benioff, who is familiar with his subject matter: he dealt with the culture of Afghanistan and family bonds in The Kite Runner, which also dealt with the courage of forgiveness and childhood friendship; he powerfully explored the damaged relationship between a father and son in Spike Lee's The 25^th Hour; and he dealt with the relationship between soldiers in Troy.

Perhaps Benioff's script got lost in translation.

*Spoiler alert ahead for those who have not yet seen the film.

A major part of Brothers deals concerns Sam going missing in action, and how his disappearance and 'death' affects the relationship between his family and his wife Grace (Natalie Portman), particularly the blossoming romantic relationship between Tommy and Grace.

There is no suspense and mystery because Sam's ordeal in Afghanistan is shown through a subplot that is revealed far too early in the narrative and intercut with the blossoming romance.

Also, because all Sam's actions, as well as the secret that causes his paranoia and the alienation between himself and his family is revealed too early, it weakens the latter part of the narrative.

The film deals mostly with inner conflict that is difficult for the viewer to relate to or understand as it is never explained through expositional dialogue or events: there is no explanation for Tommy's criminal past and his imprisonment, or the reason why there is such an abyss between Tommy and his father.

This disconnects the viewer and never allows the audience to understand why the characters are conflicted.
The only relationship that is explored is the history between Sam and his wife; although, the only thing we really know about them is that they were high school sweethearts.

None of the relationships in Brothers are ever resolved, it's an open ending narrative that might satisfy those who would like to find their resolution, but will disappoint those who want to find a satisfying conclusion that wraps up all the issues dealt with in the story and make the journey meaningful.

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Copyright © 2010 Daniel Dercksen/ The Writing Studio