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jbratter-2
Reviews
The Brothers (2001)
Fun Relationship Cotton Candy
Those of you who have seen "The Wood" or "The Best Man" will probably feel like you've already seen this film. However familiar the "Brothers" might seem, this foray into the men's view of relationships and the "C"-word (Commitment) is immensely entertaining, ever so slightly insightful, and just a whole lot of fun. The film presents a slick and highly stylized portrayal of the African American middle class world where the most paramount concern on everyone's lips is relationships, love, and more relationships. The film follows four men as they approach thirty and simultaneously come to terms with their respective romantic entanglements. In an honest effort to show all versions of this conflict, the characters represent many facets of a "man" in such a state - one is married, one is ready to get married, one is ready to be in a relationship, and one is a confirmed bachelor who desires to continue to be a player. Where the film goes wrong is showing perhaps too many sides of the story, attempting to give equal time to each "brother", their beloved(s), and their family life, thus making the over arching point that reasons behind resistance to commitment come from a variety of places. The jokes are funny and the production value is first rate. The script could have used a little help, but what script couldn't. In this case, most of the statements about "love" come across as cliches and slogans. The performances are mostly adequate. However, as the story tries to cover so many people, most of them come across as caricatures more than actual characters. Stand out performances are given by Jennifer Lewis, a truly under rated actress, and D.L. Hugley, who gives more credibility and sensitivity to his character than this viewer thought he was able. I gave it a 9 not just because I liked it, but also because I didn't dislike as much as I thought I would.
Secret Cutting (2000)
A little too Painful
Like others who have commented on this film, I too have had personal experience with self-mutilation and wondered how the film portrayed this complex issue. I was not only disappointed in the representation but I found the story to be so disturbing, it was actually difficult to watch. Like most made for T.V. films about teenage girls with problems, the protagonist could not be more pitiful, sensitive, or suburban / middle class - the ever-hackneyed commentary on the normal family who is anything but. However, instead of an insightful exploration into the world of a person who scars herself to release emotional stress, this film focused too heavily on all the forces around her that push her to these extremes. From the dysfunctional family and nearly complete lack of friends, to a sexual relationship where she is used - this is a sad and sensationalized picture of an adolescent. The narrative goes next to nowhere in describing this trauma, only showing all the nasty things it entails. Worse still is the therapist, played with no skill by Rhea Pearlman, who does little to bring this poor child out of her repressive habit. Ultimately, this film may do some good showing young women why they shouldn't engage in this behavior, but its too disturbing and pathetic to take seriously.
Trois (2000)
Cheap thrills and guilty pleasures
Trois is a sexy thriller about the before and after-math of a threesome (two girls and a guy). The participants are a young Black married couple in Atlanta who seek to spice up their love life and an openly bisexual woman who wants to keep custody of her son. This film admirably attempts to explore the complex dynamics of monogamous sexuality, from sexual preference to sexual power. The gravest downfall is the attempt to combine too many twists and turns that don't pay off or gel well with the story's initial tone.