The
complexities of relationships between siblings is an endlessly
fascinating topic for a film-maker to explore, and over the years
cinema has given us countless portrayals of brother and sisters
(whether completely fictional or based in fact) to mull over. To
celebrate the release of crime drama The Rise
of the Krays (available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms from
31st
August 2015, courtesy of Signature Entertainment)
we take a look back at some of the best brothers to grace the big
screen...
The
Rise of the Krays (2015)
The early
years of the most notorious criminals Britain has ever produced are
portrayed in visceral brutality in this crime drama, which charts
Ronnie and Reggie Kray’s reign of terror, that would endure and
come to define London’s East End for years to come. From protection
rackets to members clubs, from brutal street brawls and arson to
blackmail extending to the Cabinet Office, the Krays rained red on
anyone who crossed them. Simon Cotton
and Kevin Leslie
brilliantly bring the brothers toxic relationship to life, pulling no
punches and portraying the complexities of their personalities and
motives with aplomb.
Out
of the Furnace (2013)
Scott Cooper’s thriller stars Christian Bale as Russell Baze who must protect his brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) when he becomes embroiled in a murky underworld led by ruthless drug dealer, Harlan DeGroat - played by Woody Harrelson. Set in the borough of North Braddock, Baze works in the local steel mill with the mill’s furnace representing his attempts at living a life on the straight and narrow. However, in seeking justice, Baze is forced to embed himself into DeGroat’s murky underworld in such a way that revenge will hit them the hardest.
Scott Cooper’s thriller stars Christian Bale as Russell Baze who must protect his brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) when he becomes embroiled in a murky underworld led by ruthless drug dealer, Harlan DeGroat - played by Woody Harrelson. Set in the borough of North Braddock, Baze works in the local steel mill with the mill’s furnace representing his attempts at living a life on the straight and narrow. However, in seeking justice, Baze is forced to embed himself into DeGroat’s murky underworld in such a way that revenge will hit them the hardest.
Lawless
(2012)
Nick
Cave penned this Depression-era crime drama,
which recounts the lives of the three Bondurant brothers- Forrest
(Tom Hardy), Jack
(Shia LeBeouf) and
Howard (Jason Clarke),
who are forced to contend with the corrupt District Attorney Mason
Wardell (Tim Tolin)
and Special Deputy Charles Rakes (Guy Pearce),
after refusing to pay the bribes required to maintain their
bootlegging and distillery business. Chastain
turns in a wonderful supporting performance as Maggie, a dancer from
Chicago with a hidden past, who Forrest hires as a waitress for the
distillery, and who he eventually falls in love with.
Thor
(2011)
This
Marvel superhero-based film was an instant hit in theatres, capturing
audiences with its simplicity, non-stop action, and brilliant rapport
between hero and villain- who happen to be brothers.
The film follows Thor (Chris
Hemsworth), who is set to inherit the throne
from his aging father, king of the Norse gods, Odin (Anthony
Hopkins). Things are set to go as planned
until Thor’s brutal and thoughtless actions against their enemies
force his father to banish him to earth as punishment. Robbed of his
powers, Thor falls in love with scientist Jane Foster (Natalie
Portman) - but all the while Thor's brother
Loki (Tom Hiddleston)
usurps the throne of Asgard for evil gain and begins to plot his
revenge...
The
Fighter (2010)
After a stint playing John Connor in Terminator Salvation (and the on-set outburst at a crew member which hit the headlines), Bale shed some more pounds yet again to play Dicky Eklund, older brother to boxing champion Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), in David O. Russell’s The Fighter. Stealing scenes with aplomb, this was the role in which Bale won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor- thanks in no small part to his excellent chemistry with his co-star.
After a stint playing John Connor in Terminator Salvation (and the on-set outburst at a crew member which hit the headlines), Bale shed some more pounds yet again to play Dicky Eklund, older brother to boxing champion Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), in David O. Russell’s The Fighter. Stealing scenes with aplomb, this was the role in which Bale won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor- thanks in no small part to his excellent chemistry with his co-star.
Ocean’s
Eleven (2001)
This
remake of the 1960’s crime caper won over fans and critics alike,
due in no small part to the outstanding chemistry between the cast,
which included George Clooney, Brad Pitt,
Julia Roberts, Bernie Mac and Elliot
Gould. Focusing on the exploits of a group of
rag tag con-men who plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos
simultaneously, this Soderbergh-directed crime comedy pays brilliant
homage to old Hollywood, whilst keeping the humour distinctly modern.
Providing constant comic relief are Casey
Affleck and Scott
Caan, who play Virgil and Turk Malloy; the
brothers who happen to be brilliant at conning, but utterly hopeless
at getting along for more than two minutes.
From
Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
This cult
classic stars George Clooney, Quentin
Tarantino, Harvey Keitel and Ernest
Liu, and follows the exploits of the sadistic
Gecko brothers, Seth and Richard (Clooney
and Tarantino respectively)
and the family they’ve taken hostage (Keitel,
Liu and Juliette
Lewis). After a string of robberies the
siblings head to Mexico and kidnap the Fuller family to cross the
border. Arriving at a bar, they quickly realize they’ve
inadvertently stumbled into a venue teeming with horrific,
blood-sucking vampires. Engaged in a fight for their lives, the
Fullers and Geckos are forced to band together to take on the
supernatural beings.
The
Godfather (1972)
Francis
Ford Coppola’s unrivalled crime drama
focuses on the fallout when ageing crime boss patriarch Don Vito
Corleone (Marlon
Brando) decides to
transfer his authority to one of his subordinates.
The decision invariably leads to a series of unfortunate events which
ultimately begin a war between the major crime families. Al
Pacino
and James
Caan
take the roles of Don’s sons, Michael and Sonny, who couldn’t be
more different. Cool, reserved and level-headed Michael would rather
put plans into motions behind the scenes, whereas Sonny prefers to
settle all matters with his fists and street-wise nature. The polar
differences between the brothers, and yet their bizarre dependency on
each other, is played off brilliantly by Caan
and Al
Pacino,
with fantastic support from a cast that includes Robert
Duvall,
Diane Keaton
and Richard
S Castellano.
The
Rise of the Krays is available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital platforms
from 31st
August 2015, courtesy of Signature Entertainment