McMullen brotherhood entertains everyone
By JOE LARSON
Scene Movie Critic
Ever wonder what a movie about your family would look like — a movie about you and your brothers or sisters talking about what's going on in your life? The movie wouldn't have any special effects or explosions, just real stuff that has happened in your life.
"The Brothers McMullen" is writer/director Edward Burns' first of three movies about regular people and their struggles with life, winning Best Movie at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995. The movie, and the other popular indie film, Kevin Smith's "Clerks," jumpstarted the independent movie craze, which paired low budgets and first-time directors with original ideas. The film catapulted Edward Burns into a major Hollywood actor/director.
"The Brothers McMullen" is the story of three Irish-Catholic brothers from New York whose father was a drunk and whose mother, after their father died, moved back to Ireland to be with her true love. The film follows these brothers through their lives and watches them face normal, life decisions about their significant others that end up affecting their entire lives.
The oldest brother, Jack, has been married for five years, but is scared to have kids with his wife (Connie Briton). He is also faced with the temptation of another woman.
The second brother, Finbar (Edward Burns), is a writer who is afraid of any relationship with a woman because of his wandering eye and fear of commitment. He meets a beautiful, young woman (Maxine Bahns) and is forced to deal with what might be his only chance at true love.
The youngest brother, Patrick (Mike McGlone), is graduating from college and afraid of what he's going to do with his life (a common feeling here at Notre Dame). He is also dealing with a relationship he feels has grow stale, but doesn't know for sure it has. After the three brothers get forced to move into their old house together, the viewer watches these three brothers try to solve their problems and eventually try to find what they're looking for.
But the film isn't just about three guys trying figure out their wives/girlfriends. It's about family. Throughout the movie, the film depicts the brothers interacting and helping each other along the way, which leads to hilarious commentaries by each of them. The brothers tackle everything from presidents to religion.
Thus the movie is centered around the discussions had by the three brothers. It stresses the friendships built between the them, because even with Jack's brashness, Finbar's sarcasm and Patrick's neurosis, they are still able to stay together and help one another. Though the brothers ultimately try to help their brothers with their respective dilemmas, they don't simply offer advice, but add a little good-natured ribbing and some great philosophies along the way.
The funniest parts of the film are when Finbar is advising Patrick on his relationship with his girlfriend, who has broken up with him before he got a chance to break up with her. Finbar expounds on Patrick's good fortune and then makes an interesting parallel between women and breakfast cereal.
"The Brothers McMullen" is a hilarious look at family and relationships in the '90s. Edward Burns' depiction of the New York brothers is totally believable and easily relatable to conversations everyone may have with their family and friends. This is a movie that you can watch with your buddies, with your date or with your family. It's a great movie and it is recommended to anyone in any mood.
All Scene Stories for Thursday, October 14, 1999
