smithannabel
I have watched this twice and enjoyed it even more the second time. It is a film about people not war. Complex personalities and how they interact, against a backdrop of simple lives in simpler times. As long as you appreciate that this is a character study more than a war film you will get a lot out of it. There are some very believable personalities in this film and it was an absolute delight to be greeted with some unfamiliar faces for a change, who nevertheless had an abundance of talent to match any of the current circuit of Hollywood heroes and heroines. Very watchable, and that's coming from someone who avoided Saving Private Ryan for years because of its war context. I was made to watch Brothers of War originally but very pleasantly surprised. Please give it a shot.
Michael Keating
Brothers of War was well-written and had a good story line. I enjoyed the ending thoroughly, as it was not expected, but summarised the true meaning of the film's title.The acting was very good. My understanding is that all the young actors are relatively new and I thought the talent of the cast made a strong ensemble. The two brothers Greg and Jake played by Rory Finn and Daniel Attwell were fantastic. They seemed to have such opposite characters to play, and yet the depth at which they delved into their character was impressive. Finn played a great leading man, as did his love interest Clare Fettarappa hold her own on-screen, she was was very believable.Attwell was dark, creepy and troubled - yet held a subtle charm about his character Jake, that left me not knowing whether to want him dead, or feel sorry for him. It's an unfortunate commonality, his reasons for being unstable, and his commitment to the two extremes of his role paid off with a genuine finish on Jake Jackson.All and all, a well put together film with a great supportive cast and only minor edits I would prefer being changed to some scripting and editing. However they fade as the film draws to a satisfying close. I would definitely like to see more from this team: director, writer and actors.
jamesclements
The film 'Brothers of War' leaves its viewers stunned by the end. The plot twists encapsulate and grab its audience who sit and watch the harsh realities of war. The beautiful cinematography with sweeping views of the country brings light to a film which grabs the realness of war with little relief. Rory Finn and the rest of the actors bring the film to life with superb acting. The last thing to mention is the attention to detail which immerses the viewers into the time period. The films story is extremely original, Mike Carters writing and direction is definitely something to aspire to. The film really is a much watch!
Tom Dooley
The synopsis of this film is that two brothers have been indulging in sibling rivalry for some time. Greg is the nice one who likes poetry and is all sensitive and Jake is the black sheep who loves divilment and causing a ruckus. This is all told in both linear and flashback mode. Then the war breaks out and Greg is the one who volunteers in 1939 and leaves the familial strife on the farm to go off to war. **Please note the following may contain PLOT SPOILERS**Well the war bit or rather the actual fighting bit lasts about three minutes of screen time, the rest is all about relationships both in England and France. One brother never even makes it to war. This is though quite a good film if taken on the relationship front and the issues of family ties and love. There are some plot holes too which were easy to have addressed. The acting though is all pretty solid and the attention to period detail is all done very well, especially when you consider this was an independent effort. It is the mis selling that is the real issue here.So not a war film, per se, but with a background to WW2 to add drama and give context to the bigger story. The cover art is about as accurate as saying FIFA runs like a well oiled machine. It should not be allowed and will attract lovers of war films who may not be at all interested in a purely relationship based story – and that is no matter how well acted and put together it is – hence my rating.
AD
