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Brother Actors: Takeshi Kitano, Kuroudo Maki Director: Takeshi Kitano Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Color, Widescreen, Closed-captioned, Dolby Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Running Time: 113 minutes Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Region Code: 1 Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2002-01-02 Buy from Amazon

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 53 Average rating: 4.0 "Gangster Violence as art" There is such a paucity of good movies out these days that when a decent, worthwhile effort such as this appears one is tempted to rate it higher than it deserves. While Hollywood continues to churn out the usual stuff and sequels to try and maintain the revenue momentum, along comes the odd foreign movie to jolt the system a little. Contrast the violent portrayal of gangster life against the latest Arnie movie. I am sure that there will be uproar in some quarters not only against the viciousness of it but also against the graphic nature. The broader view is the use of the violence to highlight a code of honour to which the Japanese gangsters adhere. The film contrasts the use of violence in gangster societies, pitting the somewhat ethical stance of the Japanese against the money orientated Mafia and the utter ruthlessness to which they will resort. A peculiar feature of the movie is the central character who speaks fewer words than in the entire screenplay for 2001. The camera follows his arrival in Los Angeles, his recollection of how he came to America, through his growing success in the drug trade until his ultimate demise. Throughout this journey homage is paid to American mob movies, in particular the Godfather. In one particular scene a meeting is planned whereby the other side are to be taken out by the use of weaponry hidden in the bathroom. When the moment comes, the weapons cannot be accessed due to the bathroom being occupied. The penultimate scene too is a genuflection to the scene in the Godfather where Sonny is killed by the massed ranks of machine gun toting, nicely dressed hoods. But in the end the Yakuza is found to be a decent chap as he repays his long time associate for an earlier misdeed he committed against him and provides the wherewithal for a new start, presumably on the right side of the law. There are some great scenes in this movie, some of which are referred to in other reviews. The scenes are sharp and bright and the camerawork is excellent establishing a high sense of realism. This movie is not for the squeamish but should not be viewed as a gratuitous violence flick. It is a serious study of modern life and the blurring of cultural dividing lines across nations. Worth seeing again. "GOOD, BUT NOT TAKESHI'S BEST" While "Brother" has all the trademark characteristics of Takeshi's other films, it still seems a little out of it's depth, probably due to the fact that it takes place in an American city where people shoot at you just for cutting them off in traffic. Maybe in Japan a man who is unhesitatingly violent can rapidly and almost single-handedly carve a local crime empire out for himself, but it's doubtful he'd last more than a few days in L.A. The idea of Takeshi's character establishing himself by just shooting a round dozen criminals strains belief past the breaking point. Still, it's a good film, that, as mentioned before, has all the things that make Takeshi's films worth watching; the casual yet incredibly brutal violence, the realistic lack of romance that characterize most other gangster films, and Takeshi's own rigid stoicism that makes Clint Eastwood look like Richard Simmons in comparison. And while lacking the more meditative moments in his other films like Sonatine and Fireworks, Brother is still worth watching. "just right" Takeshi knows his crime drama and this film, while not as thoughtful as Fireworks, is stunning. If you enjoy a different style of pacing and characters with character then his movies are up your alley. Violent and then peaceful, Brother is more a work of art than just a yakuza film. "ANOTHER GREAT FILM FROM A GREAT DIRECTOR" Acclaimed director Takeshi Kitano -winner of the Golden Lion in Venice '97 for his film "Fireworks"- is again behind the camera directing Brother, his ninth film to date. Kitano also plays the role of the main character as he has done in most of his films. The movie tells us the story of Yamamoto, a member of the Yakuza -the Japanese Mob-, who is expelled from the brotherhood he belongs to due to the betrayal of several members of his clan. He's given up for dead and moves from Tokyo to Los Angeles where he has a younger brother who survives as a modest drug dealer. Then, they begin to wipe out their opponents and thanks to Yamamoto's courage and insight they will become a powerful clan that controls several city areas. However, on their way to seize power, they meet their match and things will begin to go downhill. I won't spoil the ending but I must say that it's a thrilling and emotive one. Kitano offers to the audience an electrifying portrayal of the Yakuza, its motivations and, most of all, its code of honor. The film can also be described as a tragedy because there's a sense of fatality which indicates that everything in the movie moves toward their end. The film depicts the state of mind of a man(Yamamoto)who has lost everything in which he believed and who has become a stateless person, an uprooted drifter shunned from his cultural environment with a ticket of no return. As in other previous films by this director, deadpan humor is also present but perhaps not so constant as in other movies. There's also an underlying parody of the genre of action and noir films in the realistic and, at the same time, exaggerated way that Kitano describes violence. Another remarkable aspect is the marvellous soundtrack composed by Kitano's longtime collaborator, Joe Hisaishi. A tranquil and melodic score that apparently contrasts with the violence that surrounds the film and which features orchestral and minimal music accompanied by free jazz and rock with absolute perfection in an unparalled exercise of emotional intensity. To finish I'll just say that, in my humble opinion, Brother is an exciting film that is worth seeing and which proves, one more time, that Takeshi Kitano is one of the most talented and distinctive filmmakers of our days. "Mind numbing violence" This movie is about a Japanese gangster exiled from his homeland and forced to flee to America. From the moment he sets foot on foreign soil, his orgy of violence and destruction begins. If you're a fan of action and violence, this movie has plenty of both. The film portrays the extremely violent lifestyle of Japanese gangsters. Unfortunately that's about all it has going for it. Much of the time the plot seems disjoint and unconnected. Music is lacking. A lot of the time it was difficult to understand what was going on. I can only recommend this to gangster movie aficionados.