Written by: Jacques Audiard & Thomas Bidegain
Starring: John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, Rutger Hauer
Rating: [4/5]
Loyalty in the West during the gold rush only extended as far as the compensation received and any bidding process that could transpire to change allegiances. However, blood runs thick and allows us to go on this hectic journey with a pair of lovely brothers and all the violence they know how to conjure up anywhere they go. A fun-loving story with such a stellar cast and some stunning shots as well.
Employed to carry out the wishes of The Commodore (Rutger Hauer), Charlie (Joaquin Phoenix) and Eli Sisters (John C. Reilly) receive their next assignment in tracking down a chemist with a very promising formula. As they search for this chemist, they find themselves in the turmoil of potential while delving into their own brotherly drama.
With a cast as illustrious as what we have in The Sisters Brothers, deciding to watch this feature was a not no-brainer. It comes with an intriguing plot and delivers greatness in crafting this compelling Western but also one with so much heart when looking at Charlie and Eli Sisters. The introduction we get to them starts at the very beginning with a dark-lit night scene where they announce themselves and try to cordially take in a man they’ve been hired to take out. After their plea for ease gets met with gunfire, they quickly display what makes them incredibly lethal in their line of work. Right away we witness their greatness, which informs who we’re messing with here.
For all they display, we also get right into the dynamic between the two and their tendencies in the way they put up with each other just as any pair of siblings would. They constantly bicker, complain about each other’s behavior, but most importantly they have an abundance of love for each other, which remains quite noticeable throughout the feature, even if they begin throwing fists at one another. Despite all of the backstabbing that occurs out there, these two never doubt they believe in each other, which makes for something absurdly wholesome in such a cutthroat world. These two remain the foundation of the story as they deliver the action and the comedy this feature provides in the figurative and literal jabs they throw at each other.
This particular journey takes them from the Oregon Trail to San Francisco in their efforts to catch this idealistic chemist named Hermann Warm (Riz Ahmed) who’s also tracked by a detective named John Morris (Jake Gyllenhaal). Their ultimate collision course unravels something quite intriguing when it becomes clear exactly what Warm has up his sleeve and why the Commodore sent out his best hunters in the Sisters brothers to retrieve it. Loyalties certainly get tested when the reveal occurs to show the true character of all the players in this game.
As much as violence gets displayed excellently in this feature it remains about the human relationships at the center of it all. We learn about these characters and the dreams they want to achieve. Charlie and Eli may share blood but certainly do not have the same aspirations in what why seek to accomplish in life or how to carry out the rest of their days. These men get to sit around and talk about their feelings for several stretches in this movie and it works so well. We get plenty of time with the Sisters brothers but also get to learn of Warm’s dream of building a just and democratic society out in Texas as opposed to hoarding all of the gold for the purposes of lining his coffers. It gives more context to his actions and makes the ultimate consequences of what occurs in the feature that much more impactful.
With that being said, the gunfight sequences certainly have some zip, and the cinematography of Benoît Debie certainly aided. Just thinking about the opening sequence alone and how the darkness presents the contrast of the sparking gunpowder shooting into the house by the Sisters brothers shows such a level of beauty in such a violent act. Certain distinct scenes in this feature have this jaw-dropping picturesque look, which should serve as a prerequisite at this point for any modern Western to have any sort of credibility. Debie’s cinematography absolutely stuns and only helps highlight this long trek of a journey by these characters.
Very much a wildly fun and entertaining ride, The Sisters Brothers endears us to some excellent characters portrayed brilliantly by the cast members, which includes many contemporary favorites. They each heavily contribute to the story and round out these characters to allow the audience to care for them and what they wish to do with their lives. We get all of this on top of the excellent gunfight sequences making this a bonafide hit for director Jacques Audiard, who takes this venture into the American West and creates something quite fantastic.
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