Brothers

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Note: this review contains minor spoilers.

The Bible is full of stories about brothers: Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, two parables by Jesus about brothers. Brothers (and I expect sisters as well) have strong bonds, but also significant rivalries.

As I reflect on my two brothers, I know we all have things in common, and we all have differences. We are competitive, even though we each have our own careers and interests. We are also connected to one another in ways that we are not bound to anyone else. We envy one another, but we also can’t stand things about each other. It is that combination of intimacy and separation that makes brothers so interesting when we have stories that focus on that relationship.

Brothers is the work of Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen, two people who have been influenced by the Dogme movement in Denmark. That movement seeks to make films with a sense of realism. Although there is much in this film that is outside the Dogme Vow of Chastity, the realism of the relationships in the film is exceptional. This is a moving and disturbing film that lays bare the emotions of its characters. The performances are powerful and gripping, especially by Ulrich Thomsen as Michael.

As the film open, Michael, an army major, is getting ready to leave for duty in Afghanistan. His brother Jannik is getting out of prison. They are so different. Michael is the straight shooter – orderly, good leader, good husband and father. Jannik is the prodigal – unshaved, unreliable, often drunk, with no real future. One wonders how two brothers could be so different, but we also see the bond between them in the joy that they share when they are together.

Michael goes off to Afghanistan, but not long after he arrives, his helicopter is shot down and he is reported as dead. This shock brings grief to the family. Jannik now discovers a new role for himself in the family, and begins to grow into a more responsible person, taking care of Michael’s wife and daughters.

Then we discover that Michael was not killed, but has been taken prisoner. In confinement he has to do things that are unspeakable, and to him, unforgivable. Slowly, he is transformed into a dark and brooding man, who brings this terrible burden home when rescued.

In the end, we are left wondering if Michael will ever find his way back to the light of life. Because of Jannik’s transformation, we know it is possible, but can Michael find within himself the way to freedom? We are left with a taste of hope, but no answer.

The two brothers really serve as alter egos to one another. They are yin and yang – perfectly opposite and perfectly complimentary. As the film plays out, the balance between them shifts. As one grows more loving, the other loses the capacity to love. As one finds life, the other is mired in death.

Perhaps what makes stories about brothers so fascinating is that we may discover that really the brothers usually have to be combined to make a whole. If we look at the stories of Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, or the Prodigal Son and his older brother, we will likely discover that both brothers live within us.

Brothers is a compelling and evocative exploration of that dual nature within us expressed in the interplay of these two brothers. As we watch the transformation of each brother, we see that the absolutes we thought were the case don’t stand up. As the film opens, it is very clear who is the “good brother� and who is the “bad brother�. It is hard to see the potential that either has to change so dramatically. Yet the potential for good or bad has always been within each of them (as it always is within each of us).

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film