Brothers of the Night Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Brothers of the Night Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 11, 2017

“Brothers of the Night” is often classified as a documentary, but it’s difficult to understand where the line between fiction and non-fiction remains. The picture tells the story of young Bulgarian men who’ve come to Vienna to establish a new life and make money, with some of them ending up as “gay for pay” prostitutes, collecting cash to send back home to family and spouses. Director Patric Chiha has an unusual topic to explore with his feature, but the blend of interview footage and nightlife recreation takes some time to get used to, with “Brothers of the Night” often resembling a reality show, not a deep dive into the wilds of identity.

Striving to keep the effort visually appealing, cinematographer Klemens Hufnagl bathes “Brothers of the Night” in color and showy lighting, bringing style to this odyssey, which follows the subjects into various nightclubs and backrooms, observing their social lives during downtime from hustling. The men are communicative, showcasing easy camaraderie with others who share the vocation, and “Brothers of the Night” is most interesting when they detail on-the-job hazards and kinks, sharing stories of clients with special needs and desires. The group dynamic is also fascinating, with these “married” men clearly tapping into sexuality they may not be ready to confront, feeling a freedom in Vienna they wouldn’t enjoy in Bulgaria.

Brothers of the Night Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation appears to be working with commercial-grade cameras, which softens the image to a slight degree, also struggling with bloomy whites. Detail isn't strong, but some facial particulars remain, and club decoration is open for study. Delineation is satisfactory, working with pure darkness during evening sequences. Mild banding is periodically detected, along with some noisy patches.

Brothers of the Night Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

With the action partially involving nightclubs, the 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix gets a healthy workout with dance music, bringing some compelling low end to the listening experience, which largely remains frontal. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and clean, handling emotional ranges and group activity. Atmospherics come through as intended, with pleasing room echo, and visits near the sea bring out the presence of churning water.

Brothers of the Night Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Trailer (1:39, HD) is included.

Brothers of the Night Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Brothers of the Night" has moments of authenticity, but it also registers as highly rehearsed, with Chiha unable to find a balance between the extremes. Still, it's a fascinating subject handed a compelling fly-on-the-wall treatment, showcasing unusual experiences and choices that often reveal true identity.