Brother (2022 film)
Brother | |
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Directed by | Clement Virgo |
Written by | Clement Virgo |
Based on | Brother by David Chariandy |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Guy Godfree |
Edited by | Kye Meechan |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Elevation Pictures, Vertical Entertainment, ShutterSTOCK Liner Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 120 minutes[1] |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
Brother is a 2022 Canadian drama film, written, produced and directed by
The film stars Aaron Pierre as Francis and Lamar Johnson as Michael, with supporting cast members including Kiana Madeira, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Lovell Adams-Gray, Maurice Dean Wint, and Dwain Murphy.
The novel's optioning for film was announced in 2018,[3] and the film went into production in fall 2021.[5] It is the second Canadian film in as many years, following Scarborough in 2021, to be set in the Galloway Road neighbourhood of Scarborough,[4] and Virgo's first theatrical feature film since 2007's Poor Boy's Game.
The film premiered at the
Synopsis
Francis and Michael are brothers living in Canada and sons of Caribbean immigrants from Jamaica. In the summer of 1991, the young men immerse themselves in the hip-hop scene of Toronto's Scarborough.
When his childhood sweetheart Aisha returns to their neighborhood for the first time in 10 years, Michael is forced to reconsider a family tragedy. Growing up as young black boys in a neighborhood prone to gang violence and police brutality, his older brother Francis had to be Michael's best friend, protector and even parent at the same time, because their single mother worked shifts as a nurse. As they grew older, Francis and Michael parted ways, but the unconditional love between the brothers and their mother continued.
The film uses a non-linear structure, switching back and forth between the boys' childhood, their teen years leading up to Francis's death, and the lingering aftermath of Francis's death, all building toward the ultimate revelation in the film's climax of how Francis died.
Although the film doesn't explicitly address
Cast
- Aaron Pierre as Francis
- Lamar Johnson as Michael
- Marsha Stephanie Blake as Ruth
- Kiana Madeira as Aisha
- Lovell Adams-Gray as Jelly
- Maurice Dean Wint as Samuel
- Dwain Murphy as Dru
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 87% of 45 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Deeply felt and emotionally resonant, Brother overcomes its imposing length and a certain narrative familiarity with riveting performances and stunning cinematography."[8]
In
For Deadline Hollywood, Valerie Complex wrote that "Brother is a film that reaffirms why I love movies. The narrative asks so many vital questions about Black life and masculinity, but most of all: If Black boys are raising themselves to adulthood, where do they turn for support? This is the ultimate dilemma Francis and Michael find themselves in. Brother isn’t just another “Black” film. This is a vital piece of cinema that hasn’t received the buzz it deserves. I don’t want to see this fly under the radar, and I hope others will be open-minded enough to witness the genius of Clement Virgo and these young actors."[12]
Accolades
The film was named to TIFF's annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2022.[13] It won 12 Canadian Screen Awards at the 11th Canadian Screen Awards in 2023, the most awards won by any film in the Canadian Screen Awards era and the best performance by any film since Night Zoo (Un zoo la nuit) won 13 Genie Awards at the 9th Genie Awards in 1988.[14]
References
- ^ "Brother". Irish Film Classification Office. May 24, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ Barry Hertz, "TIFF to host world premiere of Clement Virgo’s buzzy adaptation of Scarborough-set novel Brother". The Globe and Mail, July 6, 2022.
- ^ CBC Books, September 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Radheyan Simonpillai, "Brother brings Scarborough to the world" Archived 2022-08-18 at the Wayback Machine. Now, August 17, 2022.
- ^ Liza Sardi, "Rising stars assemble for Brother". Playback, October 18, 2021.
- ^ "Clement Virgo’s ‘Brother’ to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival". Toronto Star, July 6, 2022.
- ^ Stephen Cooke, "FIN Atlantic International Film Festival ready for September return". SaltWire Network, August 24, 2022.
- ^ "Brother". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Hertz, Barry (2023-03-14). "Review: Clement Virgo's beautiful Brother is an instantly essential addition to Toronto cinema canon". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- The Toronto Star. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- RogerEbert. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ^ Valerie Complex, "‘Brother’ Review: Clement Virgo’s Brutally Honest Film About Family And Manhood". Deadline Hollywood, October 18, 2022.
- Point of View, December 8, 2022.
- ^ Noel Ransome and Nicole Thompson, "Clement Virgo’s film ‘Brother’ wins a record 12 Canadian Screen Awards". The Globe and Mail, April 13, 2023.
- ^ a b Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Women Talking leads film nominees for 2023 DGC Awards". Playback, September 20, 2023.
- ^ Etan Vlessing, "Canadian Screen Awards: TV Drama ‘The Porter’ Leads With 19 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter, February 22, 2023.
- ^ Jackson, Angelique (January 25, 2024). "Colman Domingo, Ayo Edebiri, Victoria Monét and Usher Lead NAACP Image Award Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- Point of View, January 8, 2023.
- ^ "Vancouver Film Critics Announce Nominees". Northern Stars. January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ Connie Thiessen, "Family Law showrunner Susin Nielsen among winners at WGC Screenwriting Awards". Broadcast Dialogue, April 25, 2023.
External links
- Official website
- Brother at IMDb
- Brother at Rotten Tomatoes