The Brothers Bloom

I tend to think that I like con-artist movies, but maybe I really don’t. I love The Sting – though it’s been decades since I’ve seen it – and I could be letting my opinion of that movie influence my attitude toward the whole genre. The thing I remember about The Sting though is that pretty much everyone in it wants to be involved in the shenanigans of the plot. Everyone’s trying to outsmart each other, so you don’t really feel bad when someone gets hurt. Most likely, he deserves it.

That’s not the way it is in a lot of con movies though, The Brothers Bloom included. I have a hard time enjoying the cleverness of the con-artists when innocent people are being hurt.

That said, this is certainly one of the better con movies I’ve seen. It’s clever, funny, and gorgeously shot with a fantastic use of color and composition. It’s a work of art. It’s just that from a story-telling perspective, you figure out pretty soon how it’s going to have to end (about fifteen minutes into the movie, actually) and the rest of the time you’re just waiting to see how it’s going to get there. Because it’s so clever, funny, and pretty, you don’t mind that for most of the film. But because it’s two hours long, you get a little antsy during the last half-hour and wish that they’d just go ahead and wrap it up.

Three out of five beautiful, quirky, Lamborghini-driving heiresses.