Brothers

Editorial

In truth, that cast performs admirably, Sheridan's gift with actors squeezing terrific performances from Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal. The last plays Tommy, the prodigal son, a petty crook and, in the eyes of his Vietnam vet father (Sam Shepard), a bit of a wanker.

So often overshadowed by his co-stars, Gyllenhaal here holds his own against a deliberately stiff and twitchy Maguire — who stars as Sam, the older brother, a captain in the Marines and the apple of his family's eye — and an unravelling Portman, whose fractured character, Grace, is Sam's childhood sweetheart and the mother of his two cute daughters.

While Bier's film is deeply romantic, focussing on the love that blossoms between brother-and sister-in-law, Sheridan's remake shifts the emphasis onto family, and he mines his drama from the two brothers' changing circumstance.

The film is far from flawless — the scenes in Afghanistan leading up to the key moment are a little lacklustre and we never fully learn how the boys' upbringing affected Sam, even though there's the suggestion that he, too, suffered under the weight of his father's expectations. Sam may appear the perfect family man, but in drama, as in life, appearances can be deceiving.

Will Lawrence