We are joined on the blog today by David Mahaffey, the host of our first #CinemaSeries night!
The new Mercury Studio Cinema Series launched on Wednesday with The Brothers Bloom, an arthouse con movie full of whimsy, romance, and an unorthodox cure for the constipated soul. The charming film follows two brothers, Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) and Bloom (Adrien Brody), on their last con. Their mark Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a rich heiress, isn’t quite who she appears to be, but neither are the brothers Bloom. In the end, Stephen is the architect of the perfect con: one in which everyone gets exactly what they want.
The film raises a number of questions: Can the audience trust a movie about con men, or has writer/director Rian Johnson succeeded in duping his viewers as well? Does the hyper-stylized artifice of the film rob the climax of its emotional power? Does Stephen merely protect his younger brother, or does he render Bloom incapable of leading an independent life? The Brothers Bloom is as densely layered as Stephen’s cons, and so multiple viewings (or hasty smartphone research) reveal allusions to Daedalus and the Labyrinth of Crete, Homer’s Odyssey, and Joyce’s Ulysses.
Join us on the second Wednesday of each month for a movie and thoughtful discussion. The Mercury Studio #CinemaSeries returns October 10th with Tarnation, hosted by Carrie Fox.
