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Director Terry Gilliam helms The Brothers Grimm, a film about two con artist brothers Will (Matt Damon) and Jake (Heath Ledger), forced to defeat an enchanted forest whose very real monsters are claiming the town’s innocent young girls. Gilliam is a master of creating unique worlds and he does so once again in infusing the right amount of humor and fairy tale scares for his actors to work with.
Will and Jake are very different people as brothers but somehow come together to con people out of their money. Will is the brain behind the operation where Jake seems to appease his brother and himself by imaging what real life adventures could be like fixating on the fairy tales and “magic beans” he enjoyed as a child. He is open to the fantasy that they offer him as the more unsure and bookish of the two brothers. Damon continues choosing diverse roles, which must be challenging as an actor, and allows him to work different acting muscles whether in comedies, dramas, or action films. His teaming up with Ledger forms a solid partnership. Ledger nicely portrays the weaker brother who when faced with dire situations finds out just how brave he can be. Together the brothers must use their vivid imaginations to help the town get their children back.
Peter Stormare continues to be a scene stealer. He is able to create quirky characters that force you to watch them and believe their eccentricities. The first time I noticed him was as the extremely quiet murderous lunatic in Fargo. He has real stage presence as further evidenced in roles in The Big Lebowski and Chocolat. In The Brothers Grimm his character Cavaldi, an interrogation artist who looks after the brothers, is part fear inducing and part fearful. Stormare adds the most humorous elements to the film in his evil and bumbling actions.
Lena Headey plays the role of Angelika, the tough guy part but in the body of a pretty woman. She is a townsperson who knows of the enchanted powers of the forest and wishes to find where the young have disappeared to. Headey is able to embody the rough around the edges Angelika who fends for herself, but could use a helping hand in saving her town. Not that she would admit to it.
The well developed story from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Gilliam’s attention to detail as director, create the fantasy in front of us. That’s not to take away from the acting, which is solid, but the fairy tale elements make the film one to see. Very few filmmakers build worlds as distinct as Monty Python alum Gilliam, maybe Tim Burton is in the same company. Gilliam has the ability to take something that is clearly otherworldly and as if through magic, make us believe in ...
