The Brothers Bloom
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Metascore
55 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 64 Ratings

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  • Starring: Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz
  • Summary: For as long as they can remember, the Brothers Bloom have had only each other to depend on. From their childhood in a long series of gloomy foster homes to their highflying lives as international con artists, Stephen and Bloom have shared everything. Stephen brilliantly concocts intricate stories that the brothers live out, but he's still searching for the perfect con, the one where "everyone gets what they want." Meanwhile, Bloom yearns for "an unwritten life"—a real adventure, one not dreamed up by his old brother. Eager to retire, Bloom agrees to take part in one last grand scam. He insinuates himself into the life of Penelope, a bored, single New Jersey heiress. When a genuine romance begins to blossom between them, he is reluctant to exploit her naivete, but Penelope has already taken the bait. But as Stephen's elaborate web of deceit pulls tighter, Bloom begins to wonder if his brother has devised the most dangerous con of his life. (Summit Entertainment)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 26
  3. Negative: 1 out of 26
  1. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    88
    The Brothers Bloom has it all: charming romance, jaunty adventure story, witty dialogue, gorgeous cinematography and superb performances.
  2. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Jessica Reaves
    75
    The jaunty, energetic first 10 minutes of The Brothers Bloom are easily the best first 10 minutes of any film I've seen this year. And while the succeeding hour and 43 minutes doesn't hold up to the movie's opening scenes, the whole endeavor is still an awfully good time.
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    50
    A couple of rather Dickensian supporting roles by Robbie Coltrane and Maximilian Schell fall embarrassingly flat as they are more creations of costumes and makeup than actual flesh-and-blood. But then the same can be said for the entire movie.
  4. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    20
    An overstuffed failure that mistakes sleight storytelling for dazzling entertainment.

See all 26 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. tweet
    10
    AMAZING i love this movie i dont know why this movie got any reviews below a 9, great story great actors and it has an amazing plot. my favorite movie by far. a must see… Expand
  2. Christinec
    8
    Oone of the better movies i have recently seen, adrian brody is awesome. Quirky and entertaining.
  3. roberti
    6
    Self-conscious wackiness, with a succession of genuine guffaws. At the end, we wonder why we should care, when all is a con.
  4. seancriswell
    4
    So your watching a movie and it is very character and dialogue driven. Then you suddenly realize that your favorite character in the film hasn't said a word. I would say chances are your not enjoying the film all that much. I sought out The Brothers Bloom after loving Johnson's Looper last year, and liking Brick quite well after that. Hopefully The Brothers Bloom will be a little remembered blip on the directors resume as his career continues. It is the story of two orphaned brothers who at an early age develop a knack for the con.

    In my opinion a good con movie is hard to pull off. First of all you have to make the audience connect with characters who are doing deplorable things because that is who your story has to center around. I think Johnson does this well enough. Secondly the con needs to be written so the audience understands it, but it fools them. It also must be believable enough that the target would be fooled as well. This is my biggest issue with The Brothers Bloom. The major con is so dull in fact that I had little interest in any twist that would come. Johnson also falls into the annoying habit of twisting the twist. When a director does this too often I don't feel pleasantly fooled anymore, I feel annoyed with the direction the story has taken.

    The Brothers Bloom does again show off Johnson's ability to build an entertaining world. The characters are entertaining, each with a distinct style. I enjoy Johnson's use of score and music where necessary. Johnson is a stylish filmmaker and that is on full display here. Overall this film just falls short in its story arc, and at the end of the day that is the most important part of a con film.    … Expand

See all 24 User Reviews

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