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Audiard Jacques, the French director known for his slow-paced character-driven films, surprised us all when he attempted his English debut, The Sisters Brothers. Audiard decides to portray an American western in his own unique way, leaning into the intimacy of brotherhood. These themes are worlds apart from his socio-realist film Dheepan and Rust and Bone. The Sisters Brothers certainly does market itself differently; it combines intelligent humor and a sensitive approach to adapt the wonderful novel by Patrick de Wit, published in 2011, along with a high-end graphic body count. It amazes me how this movie manages to transform itself into gory laughter while maintaining a sweet undertone, all while taking a road trip in the frontiers soaked in ale. Whether you believe these themes make it a revisionist or absurdist western, the simple fact is that Audiard never goes to extremes like the Zellner brothers did with their movie Damsel. Rather, Audiard merges both his memories and new innovations making the end product feel incredibly refreshing and familiar at the same time.
As said in the backdrop, the Gold Rush simplified the workload of a Sherriff it’s simple, for any source of unrest, follow the gold. However, when the audience is introduced to the two brothers Eli (John C. Reilly, who is always goofy, soulful and great at physical comedy) and Charlie (Joaquin Phoenix, for some reason is quite enigmatic) at the start of the film on one random dark night, there doesn’t seem to be any gold that can be chased. The duo of emotionally detached hired killers, with little care given to the dire consequences of their actions, undertake a household of people murder all in an impeccably executed set piece of nighttime shooting. And the motive is unknown. This dynamic duo with little conscience and no remorse work for a wide feared, yet mostly invisible crime lord and for some reason, always have to off their way through the 1850s Oregon. While doing so, they argue about life in general and bond in a way that is as casual as how they kill.
However, when the soft-natured Eli begins to think about his future and prospective career, the indifferent heavy drinker Charlie’s uncontrollable squirming provides him with no solace at all. The Commodore has them set up for a new task, one he hopes will engage Eli more deeply. They will hunt and kill a criminal named Hermann Kemit Warm (Riz Ahmed, rather cheekily mysterious) for reasons we would slowly piece together later for now he is just a crafty and thieving enemy who once betrayed their boss. And first there was Morris (Jake Gyllenhaal, reuniting with Ahmed after “Nightcrawler”), a British accented bounty hunter for hire, who is assigned to the brothers’ as a means of delivering Warm alive. At this a Stir is Bound to Happen his creamy invention that makes gold glaringly appear in water entirely changes everything for Chemists, which irrevocably alters everyone’s primary objectives. The two pairs follow each other for some time, which admittedly slows down the film’s previously very absorbing rhythm, and this is how they get entangled in a ploy against each other. Meanwhile, lighthearted events ensue when local madams, sweet-statured prostitutes, and a some unfortunate dead horses add to the films tone as original yet studied homage to its genre.
While blending between playful charm and two ruthless opposing worldviews, Reilly manages to bring forth Reilly’s character which is the most interesting one leaving the audience mesmerized. John C. Reilly embodies the role of the character John C. Reilly who has fantastic comic timing. The laid-back side of Charlie suits Phoenix well, while Gyllenhaal portrays an edgy character revisiting familiar territory. Possessing savvy, along with a sprinkle of mischief, Ahmed launches a statement that remains to be heard. Throughout the film, Reilly and Phoenix have impressive chemistry. The amity combined with occasional cruelness is convincing, especially when the script reveals the brother’s background. This bittersweet story, filled with blood, greed, and, most dominantly, a spider, possesses a sentimental heart which makes the audience cringe. Audiard’s sharp and sensitive tone gives way for familial emotions that linger long after the film ends which makes his tunes shine through
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