Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Brothers Bloom Blu-ray Movie Review

Flowers in bloom, Bloomingdales, the Bloomin' Onion, and now, 'The Brothers Bloom.'

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 14, 2010

As far as con man stories go, I think I've heard them all.

A delightful picture of zigzagging, globe-trotting (mis)adventures all in the name of scoring the "perfect con," The Brothers Bloom may be guilty of a bit of overzealousness and perhaps too much quirkiness, but it's acquitted on all charges thanks to a bevy of fine performances and a breezy tone that, even considering an abundance sometimes awkward twists and occasionally sluggish pacing, proves a rollicking and somewhat novel "contemporary throwback" style of film that's of no one genre but rather an amalgamation of styles all crammed into a singular vision that's both unique and, mostly, fun. Directed by Rian Johnson (Brick), The Brothers Bloom isn't the sort of picture that's all that demanding of its audience; it does ask that viewers pay attention to the story so as not to become lost like a lonely tourist in one of its exotic worldwide locales, but neither does the picture ever seem devoid of purpose or meaning. There's little here beyond what's on the surface, but The Brothers Bloom isn't shallow filmmaking, either. Its purpose is to entertain, to be different, to put a distinctive spin on its combination of styles, and as a picture that, mostly, accomplishes these goals with bravado but not with any sort of excess, The Brothers Bloom is a slightly flawed but otherwise accomplished and crowd-pleasing picture.

Time for another con.

Brothers Stephen (Mark Ruffalo, 13 Going on 30) and Bloom (Adrien Brody, King Kong) pulled off their first successful con as young orphans and have continued on with the lifestyle well into adulthood. Scheme after scheme has left younger brother Bloom down-and-out, wanting to escape the doldrums of well-planned daily routines and instead lead a more adventuresome, carefree, uncertain life. When Bloom finally pulls the plug on his end of the team, brother Stephen gives him some time to cool off and eventually convinces Bloom into joining him for one final con. Their target is an eccentric New Jersey heiress named Penelope (Rachel Weisz, The Mummy), but only Bloom's blooming feelings for her could hinder an otherwise perfect final scheme that will take them around the world and in harm's way, all in the name of executing one more master plan that will top them all.

A picture that's more style than substance, more wit than purpose, more grandiose than functional, The Brothers Bloom makes for a nice reprieve from pictures that are either too smart and too consuming or, on the other end of the spectrum, too frivolous and too nonsensical. The Brothers Bloom offers a bit of everything, from comedy to tragedy and from romance to action, there's something in here -- and much of it in equal proportions -- that should please everyone's palette; the film's challenge, then, comes in ensuring that no one element proves too front-and-center and dominating of the other pieces. Director Rian Johnson, for the most part, acquits himself well here, balancing his elements well and, even when the film begins to feel just a bit long in the tooth, he injects a spark into the proceedings that keeps the picture from succumbing to too much of a good thing. Indeed, The Brothers Bloom is perhaps best described as a "one size fits most" sort of picture, the caper story dominating the picture but accompanied by an array of misdirection, adventure, engrossing globetrotting visuals, physical and verbal comedy, burgeoning romance, and a story arc that comes full-circle in a somewhat predictable but no less satisfying finale.

The film's rollicking tone requires a series of performances that reflect the topsy-turvy world of the brothers' lifestyle and the world surrounding their various cons, and Johnson has populated The Brothers Bloom with an eccentric and enjoyable cast of players that not only understand their roles but sink their teeth into them and fully immerse themselves into the parts. As the actor portraying the film's lead character, Adrian Brody delivers a fine performance as Bloom, the actor reflecting the character's fatigue with his brother's imposing lifestyle that's seen Bloom dragged along for the ride one too many times, the character wanting to escape from under his brother's wing and instead live an "unwritten life" that's not simply some stage in a well-concocted scheme to separate the unwitting from their hard-earned money. Indeed, The Brothers Bloom creates for Bloom a character arc with an end destination that's the film's high and low point, the conclusion both satisfying and remorseful, a perfect ending considering the tonal structure and the character's progression and backstory as revealed throughout. On the flip side, Mark Ruffalo -- who plays a part that some years earlier would have seemed perfectly suited for Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) -- is a steady presence in the picture, the actor delivering a nice effort that's seemingly always thoughtful but with a constant none-too-serious streak, a lightheartedness even in the midst of the scheming that's the perfect compliment to Brody's more somber demeanor. Rounding out the trifecta is a fun, playful performance by Rachel Weisz who soaks up the oddball and borderline unbelievable "bored young heiress" character in every frame and seems more like a kid at a birthday party than a millionaire on an adventure, but such a tone suits the character-as-scripted perfectly.

The Brothers Bloom Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Brothers Bloom arrives on Blu-ray with a handsome 1080p, 2.39:1-framed transfer. Colors are rich and vibrant throughout, but never overpowering, though a few scenes appear slightly washed out, due, seemingly, more to the environment rather than any flaw with the transfer. The image is consistently sharp and deep, richly detailed but perhaps a bit warm in tone. Leaves on trees appear nicely defined as individuals, close-ups of playing cards reveal the textured surface, and assorted buildings and exotic locales showcase a wide array of impressive texturing that effectively places the viewer in the midst of some of Europe's finest hotspots. Blacks are nicely presented, deep and rich without a sign of crush or artificial brightness, while flesh tones appear accurate. Nevertheless, slight banding is visible in a few scenes, and there's a touch of softness here and there, both in foreground and distant background shots. Still, The Brothers Bloom provides a well-above-average 1080p experience throughout, and a fine layer of film grain completes a consistently strong and pleasant high definition and film-like image.

The Brothers Bloom Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Brothers Bloom features a strong DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's nicely engaging and surprisingly active throughout. Music presentation is consistently rich and fulfilling with every note pouring from the speakers with a maximum level of clarity and precision. The track also presents plenty of fine ambient and atmospherics effects; a slight rainfall and distant rolling thunder nicely permeate the listening area in one scene, while a gently-rolling seaside as heard in another scene offers another highly convincing sound that flows exceptionally well and effectively places the listener beside the water. More aggressive effects -- the rattling of a speeding train, a few gunshots, or a couple of explosions, deliver a stronger, punchier effect that's more aggressive but no less clear and precise than the track's musical presentation or more nuanced sound effects. Throughout, the track features an exceptional sense of space, and sound consistently pans with an effortless flow from one speaker to the next. Rounded out by faultless dialogue reproduction, The Brothers Bloom makes for a fine lossless soundtrack.

The Brothers Bloom Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Brothers Bloom contains a few notable extras, chief among them a commentary track with Director Rian Johnson and Producer Ram Bergman. Johnson proves himself an engaging speaker, discussing a wealth of information both off-the-cuff and relevant to the story and filmmaking experience. He speaks on casting, shooting locations, costuming, the assemblage of a film crew and the work they perform, special effects work, and much more. This proves a worthwhile track for those so inclined and with the time to enjoy it. From Sketch to Celluloid (1080p, 12:29) shows Director Rian Johnson's "amateur" storyboards versus the "real" storyboards and the final shot from the film. Scenes compared include A Con is Born, Hitting the Mark, and Buckle Up. Next is In Bloom: Behind the Scenes (1080i, 15:37), an intriguing, no-fluff piece that effectively places the viewer on the set to witness the work behind the filmmaking process. Rounding out this collection of extras are 20 deleted scenes (480p, 32:48) with optional Rian Johnson commentary and an image gallery set to music (1080p, 3:21).

The Brothers Bloom Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A fun but somewhat frivolous movie, The Brothers Bloom doesn't achieve -- but then again rarely aims for -- some higher level of meaning. It's fairly superficial, but there's still a semblance of depth to the characters -- particularly that of Bloom -- and meaning to the story. At the end of the day, it's an entertaining spectacle, an amalgamation of style that's a bit flighty but otherwise well-made and mostly entertaining but not necessarily engrossing. A difficult film to adequately describe considering its novel tone and approach, The Brothers Bloom is worth a watch if only to indulge the senses in something that's delightfully out of the norm. Summit's Blu-ray release impresses. Featuring quality video and audio transfers and a fair collection of extras, newcomers should find no qualms about giving this a rent, and fans can rest assured that a purchase will net a technically proficient disc.