Absolutely Brilliant
Added 11/7/2009
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RXS9N7JBW3TOQ
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
sick, crazy, cool
Added 2/9/2008
a punk rock movie about conjoined punk rock brothers in a band....looks real, not like that Matt DAmon movie
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
These Brothers Stick Together--A Musical Indie About The Closest Of Familial Bonds
Added 9/23/2007
"Brothers of the Head" is an ambitious little indie about the meteoric rise and ultimate demise of a British rock group circa 1970's Britain. Shot in a faux documentary style, the film introduces us to two brothers--Tom and Barry Howe (real life twins Harry and Luke Treadaway). The film effectively captures the nature of brotherhood, the spirit of the music scene, the blush of first love, and the corruption of innocence. It is, ultimately, a sad journey--one we've seen many times before, but one worth taking again. Oh and did I forget to mention that Tom and Barry are conjoined twins? Attached at the torso, the brothers start out as a curiosity but grow into real artists. But in addition to the typical destructive forces within the band dynamic, the inability to disconnect from your partner adds a unique and poignant element to this terrific little film.
But as much as I enjoyed "Brothers of the Head," the fake documentary setup is almost the film's undoing. The first third of the movie is too concerned with establishing this conceit. Introducing us to filmmakers, authors, etc. in standard "talking head" interviews, the beginning of "Brothers" doesn't really connect us to the brothers. It's a big mistake, and one that keeps this film from achieving greatness. In addition, many of the initial scenes play as light comedy (including a terrific cameo by director Ken Russell) which don't serve the final film as well as I would have liked.
But once the boys discover music, things start to move into gear. The documentary style becomes less intrusive and the oddly comedic tone is dropped. What we're left with is a fascinating character study. The film provides great insight into the connectedness of the brothers; it's unique to see a serious study of conjoined twins. Usually played for laughs or horror, it is a fascinating psychological dynamic that deserves to be examined. The brothers love and hate one another within the space of one body (essentially)--they want to strike out independently, but they are irrevocably bound both mentally and physically. This, alone, could have made a great film. But "Brothers" also provides a realistic glimpse into the music scene. The songs are believable and compelling; the performance sequences are well shot and energetically performed. It's a seamless combination of drama and music.
Obviously, the Treadaway twins are convincing as the brothers. But, this is no one-trick pony--these guys can act. Both turn in finely nuanced performances. As Barry evolves from a annoying provocateur to someone more and more dependent, nice guy Tom finds romance and then makes increasingly destructive choices. Getting caught up in one's own hype is not a new concept, and the brothers are not immune to the industry's unfavorable influences. The evolution of the characters keeps "Brothers" grounded, believable, and moving.
The ending has an almost haunting quality that stuck with me. Highly recommended; "Brothers of the Head" is unique and effective. Give it a shot--but stay past the beginning. The film might not seem like it's going anywhere of interest initially, but those with patience will be richly rewarded. KGHarris, 09/07.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Sad with Great Music
Added 8/6/2007
Brothers of the Head. Wow! Sad, dark, sweet, and empty.
I'll explain...exploited boys without freedom. They were locked in a room, spied on, beaten, forced to be musicians. This is presented without much emotion in a dark, depressing manner--almost forgotten because it is so lightly touched upon. The memories of the boys hugging, and their emotional dependency, was the only peek into their true world. It's as if we were able to fly overhead as their life progressed. Yet, it was empty. The boys were commodities.
I loved this movie despite the lack of fullness (the audience begs for more information). It was a wild ride into the obscure with a great soundtrack. The music was fantastic to a punk lover. So much so, I had to order the soundtrack.
Though this is fiction, the story is too real. People are exploited everyday.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
Best Film of 2006
Added 5/12/2007
A clever work of rock and roll art that really defies description. Takes the movie-within-a-movie motif to places its never gone before.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
|
Absolutely Brilliant
Added 11/7/2009
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RXS9N7JBW3TOQ
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
sick, crazy, cool
Added 2/9/2008
a punk rock movie about conjoined punk rock brothers in a band....looks real, not like that Matt DAmon movie
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
These Brothers Stick Together--A Musical Indie About The Closest Of Familial Bonds
Added 9/23/2007
"Brothers of the Head" is an ambitious little indie about the meteoric rise and ultimate demise of a British rock group circa 1970's Britain. Shot in a faux documentary style, the film introduces us to two brothers--Tom and Barry Howe (real life twins Harry and Luke Treadaway). The film effectively captures the nature of brotherhood, the spirit of the music scene, the blush of first love, and the corruption of innocence. It is, ultimately, a sad journey--one we've seen many times before, but one worth taking again. Oh and did I forget to mention that Tom and Barry are conjoined twins? Attached at the torso, the brothers start out as a curiosity but grow into real artists. But in addition to the typical destructive forces within the band dynamic, the inability to disconnect from your partner adds a unique and poignant element to this terrific little film.
But as much as I enjoyed "Brothers of the Head," the fake documentary setup is almost the film's undoing. The first third of the movie is too concerned with establishing this conceit. Introducing us to filmmakers, authors, etc. in standard "talking head" interviews, the beginning of "Brothers" doesn't really connect us to the brothers. It's a big mistake, and one that keeps this film from achieving greatness. In addition, many of the initial scenes play as light comedy (including a terrific cameo by director Ken Russell) which don't serve the final film as well as I would have liked.
But once the boys discover music, things start to move into gear. The documentary style becomes less intrusive and the oddly comedic tone is dropped. What we're left with is a fascinating character study. The film provides great insight into the connectedness of the brothers; it's unique to see a serious study of conjoined twins. Usually played for laughs or horror, it is a fascinating psychological dynamic that deserves to be examined. The brothers love and hate one another within the space of one body (essentially)--they want to strike out independently, but they are irrevocably bound both mentally and physically. This, alone, could have made a great film. But "Brothers" also provides a realistic glimpse into the music scene. The songs are believable and compelling; the performance sequences are well shot and energetically performed. It's a seamless combination of drama and music.
Obviously, the Treadaway twins are convincing as the brothers. But, this is no one-trick pony--these guys can act. Both turn in finely nuanced performances. As Barry evolves from a annoying provocateur to someone more and more dependent, nice guy Tom finds romance and then makes increasingly destructive choices. Getting caught up in one's own hype is not a new concept, and the brothers are not immune to the industry's unfavorable influences. The evolution of the characters keeps "Brothers" grounded, believable, and moving.
The ending has an almost haunting quality that stuck with me. Highly recommended; "Brothers of the Head" is unique and effective. Give it a shot--but stay past the beginning. The film might not seem like it's going anywhere of interest initially, but those with patience will be richly rewarded. KGHarris, 09/07.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
