The Brothers McMullen is a deftly woven comedic commentary on relationships. Is this a new concept? No, but if youÕre expecting another Sleepless in Seattle or another Singles then you might as well stay home and rent them, because Brothers McMullen is not a Hollywood glam production. DonÕt bother looking for Winona Rider or flashy camera sequences because you are not going to find them. IÕm not going to lie to you, the film is not perfect; like most comedies about love, this movie is utterly predictable. The point of Brothers McMullen, however, is not a shocking surprise ending. Rather it is the chain of events and thought processes which lead up to the obvious denouement.
The basic gist of the plot is that the three Irish McMullen brothers, Jack, Barry, and Patrick, each have differing and conflicting ideas and problems concerning love and the relationships in their lives. The recurring motif throughout each brothersÕ ordeal is fear. For the eldest brother Jack, it is the fear of having children and the nagging thought that he might not be happy with his wife after another five years with her. Barry fears the reality of true love, and of being possessed by the emotion himself. Patrick, the youngest, is afraid of never finding his true soul mate and settling for less.
Plot, however, is not the most charming aspect in this film. It is the miraculous acting, writing, and directing that makes Brothers McMullen a true cinematic experience. Edward Burns, who plays Barry, wrote and directed this film on a very low budget, which is a testament to his immense skill and talent. His script expertly weaves together the brothersÕ lives into one hilariously funny story. So what if it is not completely original Ñ it is done well. That is what separates Brothers McMullen from all other romantic comedies I have seen. The jokes are not slapstick, the characters are well defined and not wholly stereotypical, and the story has an adequate amount of realism. Nothing in this movie is revolutionary or iconoclastic, but the cinematography and direction is original and believable, and the actors seem to be enjoying themselves on the screen. The feeling is contagious and is felt in the audience especially when combined with Seamus EganÕs original score.
The film does lightly touch on some on serious subjects, such as religion, adultery, and abortion, but always with a laugh as a buffer. The Brothers McMullen does not try to make any political statements. The movie follows the brothersÕ relationships to their conclusion and offers no steadfast solutions to the riddle of love, instead it offers possibilities. The Brothers McMullen will probably end up being one of the five best movies of the year. To make it simple, if you have three bucks to spare go and see it at the State Theater. MR