WE have to admit to not being big fans of the western genre.
Brooding unshaven men on horseback riding from place to place, occasionally stopping to shoot a ‘bad guy’ or light up a campfire, isn’t our thing.
So when ‘The Sisters Brothers’, the new film from acclaimed French director, Jacques Audiard, tied up its horse outside a recent press screening, we were less than excited.
But don’t judge a cowboy by his saddle as they say, this particular movie has more to offer than many of its flea infested cowboy campmates.
For starters we have a stellar cast. Reilly, Phoenix, Gyllenhaal. Beat that! Next up we have a compelling story that has enough conflict and intrigue to keep you on the edge of your horse, and finally there is just the right amount of comedy thrown in to put a smile on your face. But let’s back the pony up a little and take a closer look at the plot.
Set in middle 19th century North America, Charlie and Eli Sisters (John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix) are brothers. But they’re also assassins on the hunt for their mark, at the same time as others are hunting them.
Their journey leads to interesting encounters at a dangerous brothel and onwards to California’s gold rush territory where the film enters its final dramatic act.
Along the way, the constant tension between the brothers is sometimes humorous, other times unsettling, but always superbly acted.
Audiard, best known for directing indie prison drama, ‘A Prophet’, also takes on the scripting duties here along with co-writer Thomas Bidegain, and is a talent to keep a close eye on in years to come.
The movie’s ending is surprisingly reflective and tender for a western, and the final dream like sequence is another reason to set this film apart from the rest.
‘The Sisters Brothers’ really ticks a lot of important acting, story and visual boxes, so for that reason, and because of its overall entertainment value, we award it a review score of 4 impressive stars.
Paul O’Rourke
