With nostalgia as well as curiosity Norwegian film maker Aslaug Holm has followed her two young sons Markus and Lukas in their everyday life in Oslo. From young boys at the age of eight and five, to teenagers over a span of ten years. She has followed them as mother, and as a fly on the wall, while being sons, close brothers, as well as being kids having pleasures and huge disappointments. Comparing with her own childhood, having thoughts of her own abilities as a mother.
And she has made a surprisingly interesting film, which actually might be quite educative for young parents in the same situation, having young kids.
Holm tells during the film that she has a plan of making a film, but isn't sure what kind of film, or what this will be in the end. Now we know that this has become an interesting document about time, growth, family, upbringing, brotherhood, family, school, thoughts development and life itself.
I guess what she has done, is making a film which every parent would have loved to do. Not easy, as she in periods are feeling the strain the filming has on the boys, knowing her project, but getting tired of having a camera in the face or in the back "all the time".
"Brothers" are in many way a more honest and version of Richard Linklaters acclaimed "Boyhood" (arriving the same year, as this, in 2014), and in many ways a better film, though not very much alike, or even very comparable.
The film is both a beautiful document of a family, and how the sons develop, quite lyrical, drawing the lines back to their ancestors.
This film hit me way more than "Boyhood" i every way possible. Quite a gem!
