Brothers ~ Movie Review

It's one of those movies that make you cry, one which you feel you're a part of. Brothers is a powerfully conveyed story full of emotional ups and downs that left an emotional person like me hanging to the edge of my sofa seat, digging my nails into the cushion on my lap, and holding my breath as if I was part of the audience cheering for the fighters in the movie. When the movie released I read mixed reviews everywhere. While some were raving about the film others saw the movie and I heard words like 'hot mess', 'fail', 'useless', and etc. First, I'd thought I won't watch it but then it finally premiered on television and I set it to record on my DVR. Halfway into the movie I knew I'd made the right choice, this was one movie not to be missed.

Most of the beginning of the movie is all about plot building. Through a series of flashbacks combined with present events the background of the film establishes itself. Gary Fernandes (Jackie Shroff) is a drunkard who leads his family towards ruin when he accidentally kills his wife during an argument they have about his illegal relationship with another woman. When the woman's son, David Fernandes (Akshay Kumar) witnesses her death he blames his step brother Monty (Sidharth Malhotra) for it. The family breaks apart as David goes his own way and Gary goes to jail, leaving behind Monty. Years later when Gary is released from jail the story spices up. David now has a family with a wife and a daughter who suffers from a kidney disorder. Monty has lived his life alone and has grown up into an angry young man. As David's daughter's condition deteriorates and he struggles to make ends meet to pay for the medical expenses he is forced to turn back to his old profession of being a fighter. On the other hand Monty aims to progress in his career as a fighter and prove himself to the world. Finally, the two brothers face each other in the rink of the ultimate R2F tournament.

Akshay Kumar is flawless and natural as David. He has his time perfected real expressions throughout the movie which enhance all the emotional and intense scenes. Sidharth Malhotra on the other hand, being just three movies old, has done brilliant acting as well. He has grown with each one of his films and this one, being completely different from all the rest, proves his potential as an actor. I hadn't imagined him fit for such intense action yet when he entered the rink as a fighter he was as brilliant as the well-trained Akshay Kumar. I still do have a bias towards his Student of the Year or Hassee Toh Phasee look so I did not enjoy his transformation as much in terms of his appearance. Yet, the improvement in his acting was mind blowing.

Now let me confess, I cried! The final face off between the two brothers had me in tears. I was having a hard time holding back tears as they welled up inside me burning my throat. Regardless of my efforts, I admit a tear or two did escape my eyes. It was intense. It was emotional. It was perfectly choreographed. The ending alone was so awesome that it overshadowed the entire movie. With both actors performing naturally the sentimental end packed with hardcore action was a scintillating finale.

Although Jacqueline Fernandez has a small role in the movie as David's wife Jenny, it is an important role and she's played it well. In fact she's played the role of a mother so well I won't be surprised if those are the kinds of roles she's offered in the future too.

Finally, Jackie Shroff as Gary has once again played the drunkard best. He'd done it before in Devdas and he's done it again in Brothers, although the difference is that in the former he has a more loveable character than this time. This time he was the perfectly pathetic man you'd want to hate and slap for his mistakes, and then the perfect remorseful father who you'd want to forgive and want the world to forgive too.

Overall the movie was a great watch. Maybe to someone who has never taken interest in stuff like WWE it wouldn't be as interesting. Even then Bollywood's knack for creating an emotional overload is worth it. I loved the movie. I loved the acting, especially Malhotra's which was awesome.

Saraallie's Rating: 5 stars out of 5! Loved it!