by Kris Katz
Brief spoiler-free entertainment reviews

Friday, May 7, 2010

The Brothers Bloom (2008)

Slick and suave, another group of con artists set out to swindle some loot from an unsuspecting mark. Abundant scheming and many a plot twist ensue. If you're going to try this old game on the screen again you'd better have something special up your sleeve. This film does. It has a fairy tale sensibility prevalent throughout which gives our dastardly heroes a misguided sense of whimsey, and the utterly ridiculous scenarios an unreal place to lay their foundations. The result is a madcap romp through one beautiful location after another, with a driving sense inevitability paradoxically mixed with the uncertainty of any traditional heist film. And it's all brought together with a visual sense that flows smoothly and is often quite striking. The movie may drag a bit in the second act, but on the whole it s every bit the pleasant surprise it sets out to be.

8 out of 10.

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