Read Positive User Reviews for The Sisters Brothers

8

GinaKOct 8, 2018

Although this is a Western in its characters and setting, it is (somewhat like the film “Damsel”) much more original and inventive. It is also absurdist and often very funny. The Commodore (an Old West crime boss) hires the Sisters BrothersAlthough this is a Western in its characters and setting, it is (somewhat like the film “Damsel”) much more original and inventive. It is also absurdist and often very funny. The Commodore (an Old West crime boss) hires the Sisters Brothers to get revenge for him – and then things just get more and more complicated and weird. Joaquin Phoenix has given many wonderful performances recently, and this is another of them, but John C. Reilly is the actor who steals the movie. Jake Gyllenhaal is also excellent. Eventually the brothers manage to get home to “Ma” (it is a Western, after all), but only after some incredible, absurd, and often very funny adventures.… Expand

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8

JDSCigano666Dec 24, 2018

I'd imagine people will either find this a unique 'anti-Western' or else a misguided mess. I'm in the former camp and this reminded me a little of other lesser known titles in the genre such as The Missouri Breaks or The Professionals,I'd imagine people will either find this a unique 'anti-Western' or else a misguided mess. I'm in the former camp and this reminded me a little of other lesser known titles in the genre such as The Missouri Breaks or The Professionals, similarly with great ensemble casts. Fans of any or all of the 4 leads should enjoy it for the performances alone which combine finely when they share scenes.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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8

ahmedaiman1999Feb 22, 2019

Love Western films or not, The Sisters Brothers will probably leave you more than satisfied, for it refuses to be submitted in a specific genre; it's equal parts drama, comedy, action, and even artistic! Every single frame is filled withLove Western films or not, The Sisters Brothers will probably leave you more than satisfied, for it refuses to be submitted in a specific genre; it's equal parts drama, comedy, action, and even artistic! Every single frame is filled with arresting images and stunning lighting. Let alone the incredibly subtle metaphors Audiard weaves into the scenes throughout the movie. The score, which is by this year's Oscar-nominee Alexandre Desplat, also is hauntingly beautiful.

Audiard has made a poetic Western in which the four lead actors work harmoniously. Phoenix, Reilly, Gyllenhaal, and Ahmed are all at the top of their game. Each one of them delivered what could be one of, if not the best performance in his career! They brought their unique, different, and often contradictory characters to life in their very own way. I can't single out only one performance as the best among the four better-than-each-other performances. Riz and Gyllenhaal prove that their terrific chemistry they had in Nightcrawler wasn't a mere coincidence. John C. Reilly has never delivered such a mature and ripe performance before; he is really at his peak! As for Joaquin Phoenix, I would only say that he wasn't only snubbed once by the Academy, but twice, if not three times, as I haven't watched Gus Van Sant's Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot. If there is an Oscar for best ensemble cast, The Sisters Brothers would definitely take my vote in 2018!

The movie can feel a bit overlong partially due to some slow pacing at certain points. The other reason it can seem overlong is that because there are times I felt that the movie wasn't sure when it should end. Nonetheless, the journey our characters go through is any thing but boring. It's insanely thrilling; as Jacques Audiard manages to convey its temptations, dangers, abrupt feelings, and twists to the screen. The Sisters Brothers is a must-see hidden gem from 2018!

(8.5/10)… Expand

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9

DjakeirMar 26, 2019

Films are art and this is an exemplary piece of it.
I have highly anticipated this film for over a year now, and since I live in the UK I had to wait an extraordinary amount of time to see this film (meanwhile the Blu-ray has already beenFilms are art and this is an exemplary piece of it.
I have highly anticipated this film for over a year now, and since I live in the UK I had to wait an extraordinary amount of time to see this film (meanwhile the Blu-ray has already been released in the US). All of the patience and anticipation paid off in full. At the very core of this film you have talent, this results in 2 hours of spectacular scenes and a gripping story. This movie will transplant you into the minds of all characters without being too laboured or literal about it. The diversity of the characters makes you invest in each character equally despite their opposite desires and outlooks.

The first half is effective in establishing the story as well as creating a rare charm. The second half unfolds with a dark turn which is extremely heavy and shocking contrasting with the previous charm and untouchable impression established in the first half. This makes the film so impactful in a beautifully tragic way that abstractly aches the soul. Each character has a past and a unique outlook on what an optimistic future looks like. This allows for many themes to be explored simultaneously, notably greed, ambition, livelihood, power, trauma and reluctant hope. The Sisters Brothers is beautifully shot and no shortcuts were taken. Some of the sets were the best I have ever seen from a western and with the close up facial shots with ambient lighting from authentic sources was really effective in creating a sense of presence in a scene, with constant noise and movement proving to be a refreshing take on the genre as compared to the stand off stillness of traditional western films.

The story is great without being overambitious, but rather the ambition is left within the characters themselves. It is extremely easy and pleasant to watch. Finally, the acting in this film by all 4 titled cast members is absolutely outstanding. With the cast, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, the main reason for my high anticipation for this release, I had high expectations for the performances. At no time during this film did I see any actor. I only saw completely realised characters. It is when you force yourself to think about the amount of skill it takes to portray a character so believable, so cohesive and complementary to the script and other characters that you really are amazed by the acting. Films are art and this is an exemplary piece of it.

This has automatically become one of my favourite pieces of film. I am filled with joy replaying some scenes in my mind and I can only imagine the joy I will experience when I go and see the film again. Thank you to every person involved in this wonderful project.… Expand

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10

MaxximizeMar 19, 2019

This movie is so beautiful that i can't find a word to describe it . The story is amazing , even though it's adapted from the novel , but it's like actual lives . From now on , i need to pay more attention to french films industry .

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10

hnestlyontheslyOct 12, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. he Sisters Brothers accomplishes almost everything it sets out to do: a it’s a fresh adaptation set in the Old West without any of the restrictions of its genre’s tropes. The fecundity of violence, its hydra-headed nature is on full display, and the film balances dark humor and distances violence through a lens of objectivity. Everything below is for your perusal after you’ve experienced the movie.

murdering the father and murdering Mayfield and not murdering the chemist leads to the multiplicative violence. Double story line.

What Wife remembers most from the book is that it is narrated from Eli’s perspective, so you have a lot more verbalization of his feelings which makes him the center of sympathy. The film flattens out that subjective lens, which is not to say it’s a bad thing. The inscrutability of the Sisters Brothers’ motives and their future plans is a source of high tension in the film, and the growing divergence between Eli and Charlie naturally splits the audience. Wife mentions by way of the film’s divergence from the scrip that in the novel Eli’s Romance pops up in the middle of Eli’s adventure, rather than prior to the action in the film (“Might have been the prostitute with the scarf”). The way in which John C. Reily plays the scene with the woman in the brothel is masterful tragicomic scene. Wife suggests that one of the central tragic points of the story is Charlie’s responsibility for the death of the two companions. His arrogance and shortsightedness leads to an unfixable mistake. Charlie’s greed is self-destructive, even as the Sisters Brothers prove to be less affected by the formula than their counterparts. She mentioned something about the way in which memory and regret in the film are unidirectional (my coinage) and no one mourns the loss of the formula. I think that idea about the reluctance to dwell on the past, the momentum that drives the brothers forward but also the guilt that plagues them and draws them together are all part of the depiction of violence as well.

One thing that stands out in this movie is the choreography of fighting, such that the drama of the action is not about whether the brothers will survive, but rather “how they will deal with the emotional consequences” (as Wife puts it) of their participation in that violence. The scene where Eli must dispatch the very same people that Charlie has just put forward as possible new partners in the event of Eli’s departure from the headhunting business is deliciously ironic. The skill with which the brothers fight actually takes some of the thrill out of the action sequences, but I think it’s done intentionally. The film is interested in their coping with decisions as it is with the effectiveness of their violent deeds.

The false bottom ending turns upside down the action genre structure. Revenge film tropes are obliterated. Having just rewatched You Were Never Really Here again last night three weeks ago, they have remarkably similar structures. The triumphant, Odyssean return to Ithaka is deflated and challenged, and in lieu of a blaze of glory, bloody reckoning (itself a morally fraught act), the protagonists are forced to grapple with their alternatives.

Check The Sisters Brothers out. It’s one of my favorite of the year.

An update from March of 2019: John C Reilly won a Razzie for his work this past year and he doesn’t deserve it.… Expand

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10

upsetrapidSep 30, 2018

The cinematogrophy and direction for this film was superb. The camera paused just at the correct times to give the audience a moment to absorb the emotions of the character. John C. Riley was brilliant and should be nominated for an oscar forThe cinematogrophy and direction for this film was superb. The camera paused just at the correct times to give the audience a moment to absorb the emotions of the character. John C. Riley was brilliant and should be nominated for an oscar for this role.… Expand

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9

LamontRaymondSep 22, 2018

Absolutely one of the better Western's in recent hears. John C. Reilly perhaps deserves an Oscar nom for his performance. The story is elegant, and the supporting cast is extremely solid (Riz and Jake have great chemistry).

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9

CLUELESS35861Feb 25, 2019

Really great modern western tale. Excellent cast and script, with a minor caveat to the "good guys" being the only ones who can shoot straight and hit their targets. I am surprised John C. Reilly was overlooked on Oscar's night, but, theReally great modern western tale. Excellent cast and script, with a minor caveat to the "good guys" being the only ones who can shoot straight and hit their targets. I am surprised John C. Reilly was overlooked on Oscar's night, but, the movie did not even play local theaters, so, good old hollywood politics at work again. Wonderful photography, right up there with "the hateful 8". Most convincing job by Riz Ahmed, to date.… Expand

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7

amheretojudgeDec 19, 2018

Remembering The Morality Clause.

The Sisters Brothers Audiard's cowboy duel is both raunchy and smart. After many numbers of feeble attempts of different makers trying to achieve the perfect western drama, Audiard seems to have got hisRemembering The Morality Clause.

The Sisters Brothers

Audiard's cowboy duel is both raunchy and smart. After many numbers of feeble attempts of different makers trying to achieve the perfect western drama, Audiard seems to have got his intentions closest to the perfect one. And mind you, it is not for his gut-wrenching man-ly inedible sequences or an Eastwood-y slickness but his surprising delight of weaving the entire script from a kid's textbook morale tale. Very few of such genre films offers you a soothing final chapter to invest all your chips in. And even though there is a lot of Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid in it, this apotheosis of brotherhood equation has its own rhythm. And is it is entitled to be, the story revolves around two brothers hunting down for their livelihood that is more likely to be ignited not from the necessity but passion.

And the justified background story to their trajectory is a cherry on top of the journey that they go through. Crossing around borders, woods, rivers and mountains, neither the high pitched dramatic sequences nor tiny notorious tactics that their nature is brimmed of, is what gives them a deeper cut. The three dimensional perspective is endeavored by the negative and edgy bits of it. Like when Reilly lies blatantly to Phoenix to get an upper hand on an argument. On the opposite side of the coin, if Reilly and Phoenix are sharing an already cemented bond, Gyllenhaal and Ahmed gets to start from the scratch.

Throughout the course of their role, a genuinely moving procedure through which they connect with each other, is the highlight of it, no matter how much their opinions and agendas keep evolving. Audiard has managed to capture the carefree lifestyle of the people living in that era through humor, like when a spider gets inside Reilly's mouth or the usual gags involving a drunken bar fight; which to be honest is getting too Hollywood. On performance, Gyllenhaal makes sure in initial stages itself, that you feel the attraction and compassion of his towards Ahmed in his first meeting, where he too has kept his promises till the end.

Surprisingly, Phoenix has a comical and a bit straightforward role to portray, stretching his muscles as much as he can in the allotted narrow range, he fails to overpower other actors on screen. And riding at the front is Reilly as a complex and morally challenged elder brother of an irresponsible guy, he portrays a similar overprotective role to the film itself as whenever the storytelling gets damp, he pulls it out right with his bare hands.

If chugging out the last act, it would have been your usual self discovering journey that we have all been through plenty of times in a movie. But for a brief period of time where all these lead characters share a similar interest, something magical sparks out from the screen just like something glossy invaluable material bubbles up from the water. And circling the entire sub-plots of these characters within one strike, is just a fine example of writing that The Sisters Brothers shares with you.… Expand

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7

AaronRadcliffOct 21, 2018

John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix shine in two sides of the coin in a film that's got everything from gunfights to picturesque landscapes and dark humor to character focus. A more emotional and entertaining second half makes up for a lackingJohn C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix shine in two sides of the coin in a film that's got everything from gunfights to picturesque landscapes and dark humor to character focus. A more emotional and entertaining second half makes up for a lacking first, ultimately creating an enjoyable dark-comedy Western.… Expand

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9

ProteusOct 20, 2018

Reilly always seemed a second fiddle. But here he shines and carries the movie. The movie is utterly unpredictable. Many many small things to enjoy.
Skip Halloween and instead see this little gem. Enjoy.

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7

GrantD243Jun 26, 2019

This is one of the better westerns in recent memory, and it has fantastic performances, but at the end of the day it doesn't separate itself from the many other great films already in the genre.

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7

bataguilaApr 10, 2019

Empieza bien, luego cae en un bache contemplativo de la epoca de wetern, la ultima media hora es muy buena y es lo que vale la pena.

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7

JordanLaytonApr 28, 2020

A subversive western epic starring JOaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, and John C. Reilly. Some pacing issues but great character work.

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8

SlyL-BCSFOct 29, 2018

Le western selon Jacques Audiard !
Les Frères Sisters est captivant, l'ambiance sombre de la chasse à l'homme avec les péripéties des frangins, tueurs à gages à la réputation bien trempé traquant le duo R. Ahmed, J. Gyllenhaal, époustouflantLe western selon Jacques Audiard !
Les Frères Sisters est captivant, l'ambiance sombre de la chasse à l'homme avec les péripéties des frangins, tueurs à gages à la réputation bien trempé traquant le duo R. Ahmed, J. Gyllenhaal, époustouflant dans leur cavalcade et cette ruée vers l'or qui n'est pas sans nous rappeler tous les grands films qui ont traité du sujet.

Voilà les ingrédients qui font de ce Western un des meilleurs films de l'année 2018, comme l'a été Hostiles de Scott Cooper en 2017.

Sly L. pour BienChoisirSonFilm… Expand