More like Cassandra’s nightmare. This “Dream” marks the year’s biggest tragedy. You could say I’m talking about the plot that sees two brothers played by Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell contemplating murder for personal profit but I’m actually talking about the film’s dismal reception and performance. Namely, it came, it went… and it died. Those who bothered to see and/or review the film received with a resounding meh. The reason?: same old story I’m afraid. Allen, a master in each and every decade he has worked in, is faulted for not making a “perfect” film every year. But not simply faulted, assaulted! Salon called the director out of touch (original) while Permiere accused Allen of “waisting his actor’s time” (what, like they could have better spent it on sequels to ”The Island” and “Miami Vice”?). Roger Ebert even noted that Lumet’s “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” a film with a similar brother-centric plot, acts as ”a master class in how Allen goes wrong.” Well, I say perfection is boring and, if anything, Allen schools Lumet by showing him that a crime story can be simple and modest and still grab you. The filmmaker is out to explore avenues that interest him, not blow your mind with razor sharp tragety or comedy. Granted, Allen’s blade may have dulled a bit but it’s steadier than ever and still capable of inflicting deep wounds. 

So, yeah, this is notthe crime masterpiece that “Match Point” is. So what?! The film holds its own as a profound mythlogical (instead of Russian novelistic) tragedy where fatalism is the order of the day–while the consequences of murder are served as the main course. ”Quick, simple… no witnesses. Just let it fade into history” McGregor tells his brother before crossing a moral line in which he can never return. This film shows how nothing fades into history because the fates wont let it. I suppose viewers were underwhelmed by the oh so slight nature of this simply spun family morality tale. After all, the careful narrative lacks surprises and gimmicks. I, however, found myself enthralled by the dark shades that Allen paints. I saw the film a year ago and feel it has yet to faded into history.  

This is a story of two British brothers of a humble beginnings. Their fates are intertwined even if their personalities are not. One dreams big, wants to drive nice cars, live in nice houses, date high profile women and, of course, desires to ”make it” in California. The other is a salt of the earth mechanic who is content with his small dwelling, small town girlfriend and small gambling problem. Okay, a big one. This notion of gambling grabs hold of the film’s plot and theme after his “lucky streak” do what lucky streaks tend to do: end. Now he’s down 90k and desperate (Ferrell has a face made for brooding). Enter a rich and decident relative played by Tom Wilkinson who makes the boys an offer they can’t refuse but would sure like to. Now one has a shot of making it while the other has a shot of making it… out of the hole.
At one point characters discuss the nature of tragic Greek myths and it would certainly be in keeping with Allen, an atheist, to play the role of a jokester god in his film’s universe. Look on the bright side, there’s no ironic Greek Chorus a la “Mighty Aphrodite” but we can almost feel one just off to the side of the screen. As characters marching inevitably towards their own destruction, digging their graves with each action and passing moment, it soon becomes ourconscious that act as the surrogate Greek chorus. So be ready for lots of woes and hos (of the boat variety of course as boats and the ocean inform the film’s deeply symbolic narrative). Allen also weaves in a hearty Biblical allegory that finds one brother motivated by greed while the other ruled by desperation and a sense of what is right. So if Brothers + the Bible is any guide, I’m sure you can see where things end up.  
grade: A-