Brothers is a movie that thinks of itself as a complex drama when in reality it is a simple story being told in such a pretentious way that it becomes incompetent. I am stunned that people liked this over dramatic, over acted, and horribly directed crap. Everything in the film is either average or below. It honestly feels as though it tried to hard to be bigger then it was1/10

This was incredibly well acted and a powerful drama. The movie itself isn't perfect but the performances overshadow a weak screenplay and strange lack of depth (considering the subject matter)It was the character development that genuinely got me invested here along with a stand out turn from Tobey Maguire. Wow. Jake Gyllenhaal also does a good job and while I like Natalie Portman I felt that her character was kind of flat and aloof considering the emotions her she should have been going through. I actually got more from her oldest daughter who brought me to tears.Outstanding sub cast as well in Sam Shepard and Mare Winningham who round out the layers to this dysfunctional family.Tobey Maguire plays Sam Cahill, a marine who is believed to be killed while serving a second tour in Afghanistan. Jake Gyllenhaal is his deadbeat younger brother Tommy who has just been released from prison and becomes an unexpected source of support for Sam's grieving wife Grace.The movie alternates between Grace and Tommy back in the States and Sam who has been captured and is experiencing starvation and unbearable tortures in Afghanistan by the Taliban. He eventually returns home a very changed man, suffering PTSD and convinced his wife and brother have slept together. The confrontation to this matter is powerful stuff, wasn't sure how it was going to play out. Worth watching just for the incredible performance from Toby Maguire. 9/8/15

The film was enough good. We watch the history of family four-member with father military and uncle(brother Tommy) released. I liked a lot the interpretations of actors, however the direction was mediocre. The director did not show perfectly the attraction between Grace and Tommy. "I wanted focuses more in the force of love and that the life is continues afterwards the "" death" 'of Tommy in Afghanistan. Many viewers are disturbed because of this line : ''You are just mad because she would rather sleep with uncle Tommy than you! '' by Isabelle,the daughter of Sammy. However in the all duration of film you would realise that director accomplished to show the intelligence of Isabelle especially. She is 12 year old, it has sense of space and it begins to understand the people, it is unprompted sometimes and perfunctory but I like a lot her character because he portrays a 12-year-old child without idealization. The film could be still better if they unfolded all them in bigger time and if the director didn't show to us immediately Tommy who was captive and he focused in relation between Grace and Sammy? Imagine how many big would be the contrast for the viewer who would have tied up Grace with Sammy and from the other it would feel pity for Tommy. Also Grace doesn't realizes rightly her role as a mother. She hears her girl say such a embarrassing thing to her father Tommy and she does not speak.I understand that she would preferred this thing and her:sleep with uncle Tommy because I consider the silence as acceptance. Of course is a other void that I realize is that Isabelle is sad because her dad leaves but in 2-month doesn't cry at all while she understands his absence? In general it was a very good film, the only disadvantage is the limited time. See it !!

Sorry, but I'm not buying Tobey McGuire as an ex high school football star or a current Marine leader. He just doesn't look like the type. Having said that, he did a great job of portraying a man in shock.Even more so, I'm not buying a 90 pound Israeli American girl who looks like a teenager, as a late 20's New Mexico mom and ex-cheerleader. Having said that, Natalie Portman did a terrific job of showing patience and sensitivity to the travails of the men in her life.Jake G. has such an expressive and sensitive face, that you just have to love him. I did buy him in his role. Not because he's lovable, but because he looked like a guy with a dark side and redeeming qualities.I am quite sensitive to Liberal Hollywood portrayals of the military. But I don't think this was really an anti-military or anti-war movie. The dad came back from Vietnam messed up, but he was still a proud Marine. The son in the Marines was depicted as an honorable winner.There is a scene around a birthday table that built tension gradually. It was the best scene in a film that had several other scenes with tension-builders.This is a downer picture. But if you're the type who appreciates good dialog and acting, and doesn't need a fancy setting or lots of action, then you should appreciate this one for what it is. Nice use of mood music as well.