My Brother

This is a truly awful movie. Almost painful to watch. The only check that could be placed in the positive column is the movie's compassionately short running time. It's obvious from all the positive reviews below, that the film maker has many friends and family members. That or a lot of people have been drinking way past their limit. The Village Voice trashed this movie. They were being kind. Pluto Nash, Battlefield Earth, Showgirls, Gigli, and now... My Brother. I will die with less brain cells after sitting through this train wreck. This is an insult to cinema.

Stay away.

It was a good idea but it wasn't very good. Too many holes in the plot. It is great that two of the.co stars had down syndrome. Vanessa Williams did great. I would have liked to have it done in chronical order.

This movie is so bad in so many ways I don't know where to begin. It's barely over 90 minutes but it feels like hours.

When I saw the movie, I was thinking: OK, this is really bad, but I can forgive it a little bit since it's the director working out some very personal family history. Then, after reading the reviews here, I realize the director is white. WTF?! It would still be bad, but I could understand the false dialog, the trite treatment of the disabled and the stupid non-plot if it was a bad writer/director who was too close to the material.

But from an outsider, all that plus the offensive racial stereotypes are bad beyond words. It's hard to pick the worst. Is it Vanessa Williams "don't beat up women" speech? I think it's the drawn out "white woman in a black club" scene. Who has TB except drug addicts and inmates? I could go on for pages.

It reminded me of a review of Spike Lee's "She Hate Me" that said something like "This movie is a complete failure, but it fails in a magnificent way, in a way that only a genius could fail". This movie was the opposite. It fails in a way that exposes the complete lack of talent of the director/writer.

The leads, Vanessa Williams and NaShawn Kearse, deserve better material than this. By rights, they should have treated the script with contempt. I have to give them credit, they do the best they can with the crap they're given to work with. Likewise, Fredro Starr's performance is so much better than the script.

I had the opportunity to preview this movie. By the end, I was so moved that I wanted to stand and cheer for the characters, and the movie itself. It was poignant and heartwarming. There are scenes that I will always treasure. Anytime we can show the public how families hold onto the love in the face of tough odds, we should. "My Brother" does just that. I was raised to take care of my sisters. I have no brothers, but I do have grandsons. As brothers, I would want them to see how important the ties between brothers ought to remain. There are so many movies made that make us question the value of how a family should be with brother-against-brother. It is important to see the other side of the coin. This one rates up there with Claudine. Big thumbs up! I hope everyone sees it.

I saw this film in an early screening with a lot of industry types. Vanessa Williams was absolutely beautiful, as was Tatum O'Neal. This is a movie that isn't afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve and the family relationships portrayed are touching and, ultimately, inspiring. The director's choice of actors in two important roles was especially brave and resulting work of the entire family unit as an ensemble is what makes the film tick. I look forward to seeing the film in a finished state, with score and final edit in place, and will recommend it to friends seeking the kind of kitchen-sink drama that used to be a staple in entertainment.