The Brothers Bloom

Interview: Rachel Weisz Creates Magic With ‘The Brothers Bloom’

PatrickMcD — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:36:27 -0600

CHICAGO – Beautiful, brilliant and expressively talented, Rachel Weisz showcases a comedic side in her latest film, “The Brothers Bloom”, also featuring Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and written/directed by the eclectic Rian Johnson (“Brick”).

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Brody and Ruffalo play the brothers Bloom, two foster brothers who develop skills as con artists to survive their childhood. They grow into professional grifters, looking for the final score that will allow them to retire from the game.

Oscar winner Rachel Weisz portrays Penelope Stamp, a New Jersey oil heiress living alone in her deceased parent’s mansion, and who recently has discovered that a childhood immunity disease was misdiagnosed. Isolated while growing up, she filled her time learning multiple skill sets (from photography to unicycle juggling). She seems the perfect pigeon for the brothers Bloom to exploit.

Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo of ‘The Brothers Bloom’
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

HollywoodChicago.com interviewed Rachel Weisz during the Chicago International Film Festival in October. She talked about the Marx Brothers quality of the film and translating the unusual story into a fun, uplifting romp.

“I really wanted to do comedy and was obsessive about finding one, Weisz said “I read this and said ‘this is the one.’”

She added: “Penelope appealed to my sense of humor. She’s kooky and a little eccentric. Rian Johnson said he saw it like the Marx Brothers. There is a Harpo quality to her and a delicious innocence.”

The brothers use a matrix for the con job drawn up by Stephen (Ruffalo). Penelope is willingly primed for the “adventure” planned out because of her isolation. That quality touches the other brother, nicknamed Bloom (Brody).

Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz is photographed by HollywoodChicago.com on a Chicago red carpet on Oct. 16, 2008 for the film “The Brothers Bloom” as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Traveling to several different international locales, the brothers hilariously try to finish the con, seeking help from their demolitions expert, Bang-Bang (a great Rinko Kikuchi) and other odd characters, including their arch rival Diamond Dog (Maximilian Schell).

“Whether she knows whether she’s being conned or not, I was never quite sure,” said Weisz. “But I was sure she didn’t care whether she was being conned, because it was a lot more fun than sitting at home with the hobbies.”

“It’s very unusual writing, it’s very good writing,” she also related. “The whole thing was so magical, a magical innocent world. It’s a place I wanted to be.”

Weisz described her working relationship with director and screenwriter Rian Johnson. This is his first “mainstream” movie, after his audacious debut film with the independent “Brick”. Weisz describes the delicate balance of keeping the characters in The Brothers Bloom from descending into parody.

Rachel Weisz and Patrick McDonald, in Chicago on October 16, 2008
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

“It’s instinct. You need a director who knows when you’ve gone too far, and will gently nudge you back. Rian is a really good director and he can read a performance. Some things you do in front of a director and they don’t realize it, but Rian knew, he knew when things were grounded.”

“This easily could have been parody,” she added. “The challenge was to make it natural, like a conversation in reality. It’s a magical potion.”

Johnson combines the mysterious dialogue of a 1940s Warner Brothers picture (think Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre) with the redemption of Penelope’s life. What occurs in the midst of the simple con is a life-affirming philosophy that creates a spiritual atmosphere.

“It wasn’t anything we talked about, Weisz said. “When you play the character you can’t really play the themes, it’s too abstract. But just by the fact that we created these hopefully believable, soulful and damaged characters, we told the story. And the philosophy is in the story.”

Penelope’s love interest in the film is the conflicted character of Bloom. Weisz described working with fellow Oscar winner Adrien Brody.

“They are both very sensitive and very damaged and they recognize that in each other. They’re both ‘missing a skin’ and they lack that tough skin to face the consequences. They have a real emotional need for each other,” she described.

On the chemistry between her and Brody: “You just get to know them. That stuff is very unconscious. You can’t make chemistry happen. It just have to happen. You’re playing a character and what happens between the characters is what happens. It’s fiction, but it’s real.”

In the wisdom of The Brothers Bloom, there is a philosophy that says, “when you’re done with something, blow it up.” Weisz commented on that particular axiom.

“Each to their own, I guess,” she reflected. “You have to be careful with that philosophy, though, because you think you might be done with something, but you’re not. I probably used to be like that, but I’m much more careful now.”

When asked about the next chapter in her own life, Weisz expressed that the one thing her character possessed that she thinks she lacks is the many skills that Penelope had collected in her isolation, which Weisz called “hobbies”. So within that essence, Rachel Weisz offered this request to the universe…

“I just hope to get meaningful work…and find the hobbies.”

’The Brothers Bloom’, featuring Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi and Robbie Coltrane, directed by Rian Johnson, opens today, May 22, in Chicago and nationwide May 29, 2009. Check local theaters for film and showtimes.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Taking in the Information With ‘The Brothers Bloom’ Director Rian Johnson

BrianTT — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:11:53 -0600

CHICAGO – Rian Johnson, the writer/director of the excellent “Brick,” has another slice of dazzling dialogue opening this weekend in the very entertaining “The Brothers Bloom,” an elaborate con game starring Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz, and Rinko Kikuchi. He sat down for an exclusive interview the night before the Opening Night celebration for his film at last year’s Chicago Film Festival.

“The Brothers Bloom” director Rian Johnson is photographed by HollywoodChicago.com on a Chicago red carpet on Oct. 16, 2008 as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

“The Brothers Bloom” is about a pair of con men siblings (Brody & Ruffalo) who decide to pull one last amazing con on millionaire heiress Penelope (Weisz). The film is a stylish shell game, turning in on itself several times. With gorgeous cinematography, a fantastic turn by Weisz, and another clever script by Johnson, it will find a cult following after probably getting swept under the rug by the summer CGI overload.

The humble Johnson seemed shocked himself that a sophomore filmmaker was given such an amazing slot at one of the biggest film festivals in the country and joked that it doesn’t hurt to get Rachel Weisz to show up. (Come back tomorrow for our interview with the film’s lovely star.)

MARK RUFFALO (far left), Director Rian Johnson (left), RACHEL WEISZ (right) and ADRIEN BRODY (far right) star in the adventure comedy BROTHERS BLOOM, a Summit Entertainment release.
Photo credit: Slobodon Pikula

When the film debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, it received largely divisive early buzz with some critics using the old “style over the substance” while others fell for the film’s gorgeous con game.

“I take it as a good thing,” says Johnson. “Coming into Toronto, when we were first showing the movie, you’re holding your breath seeing what the first wave of reactions are going to be. Seeing how similar it was to Brick in terms of the range - there were some people who seemed practically allergic to it while others embraced it - that was really encouraging to me. Not that you’re making movies to piss people off, but to me, and maybe this is just justification, it means that it has a strong personality.

RACHEL WEISZ stars in the adventure comedy BROTHERS BLOOM, a Summit Entertainment release.
Photo credit: Slobodon Pikula

“Just like a person with a strong personality, you’re going to go with it or you’re going to be repelled. The style of it; because it definitely does pick its horse and let it run - if the style isn’t something that you click with, I can see being deflected. The style is very candy-coated. I feel like there’s quite a bit underneath but can see that if you absolutely can’t stand the taste of sugar not breaking through. But I don’t want to guess. I’m not going to question anyone as to whether they liked it or didn’t. Part of the fun is hearing other people’s reactions and how they bounce off - good or bad.”

The ties of family - Johnson has two-and-a-half brothers - clearly impacted “The Brothers Bloom” and what its creator calls the “comfortable chaos” of family dynamics.

“For me, it’s just a matter of knowing how deep and how complicated the ties between family can be,” reveals Johnson. “For me, it’s the thing where at the beginning Bloom just wants to get away. You get a yo-yo sense that Bloom just wants to break free but once he does he’s just lost at sea and he’s just waiting for his brother to find him again. Not directly analogous, but I think we all know that thing where if it’s unhealthy it’s called co-dependency but if it’s healthy it’s called a loving bond between family members.”

Developing that family dynamic with Brody and Ruffalo had to come quickly. As Johnson points out, with stars this big and schedules to coordinate, the filmmaker only had about a week before they started shooting. As he says, “You kind of roll the dice and cross your fingers.”

Johnson also dispels a common filmmaking myth about off-screen relationships - “Mark and Adrien got along really well and did bond on-set, but to a certain degree, I felt like a sneaking suspicion that the whole thing about actors having to have a personal bond themselves in order for it to be on the screen is kind of bullsh*t. If they’re great actors, that’s kind of what their job is, no matter what they feel about the person. To bring it on the screen. To a certain extent, you have to lean on that - even if they don’t get along.”

MARK RUFFALO (left) and ADRIEN BRODY (right) star in the adventure comedy BROTHERS BLOOM, a Summit Entertainment release.
Photo credit: Slobodon Pikula

“The Brothers Bloom” is about more than just the con. These men are spinning their lives into fairy tales. It’s not unlike what Johnson himself does with language and celluloid. “I think it’s what we all do in life,” says Johnson.

“There’s the connection between them and, obviously, between directors, writers, actors, but, for me, it’s much more interesting - the connection between what they do and what everybody does in their life. Life is a process of taking in the world around you and telling it back to yourself. It’s like what she says with the pinhole camera - part of what makes it beautiful is that the watermelon is like a head and we all take in the information. It’s the particular way we work the image that is the storytelling of our lives.”

Johnson uses an amazing ear for dialogue to express the information he takes in on his way through life. It’s a love of words that came to him early in life.

“I was pretty unskilled socially as a kid, so I did a lot of reading,” says Johnson. “I’ve been a big reader. I always had my nose in a book and that fed that quite a bit. I just love…I take active joy in playing with language. Sometimes, I worry that I may be indulging in it too much but it’s something I take too much joy in that it’s hard not to have fun with.”

Have fun with “The Brothers Bloom,” opening in Chicago tomorrow, May 22nd, 2009.

‘The Brothers Bloom’ stars Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz, Robbie Coltrane, Maximilian Schell, and Rinko Kikuchi. It was written and directed by Rian Johnson. It opens in Chicago on May 22nd, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video: Movie Trailer For ‘The Brothers Bloom’ With Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:32:22 -0600

CHICAGO – “The Brothers Bloom,” which was the opening-night presentation during the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival, is set to open in Chicago on May 22, 2009 and May 29, 2009 elsewhere. The film from director Rian Johnson stars Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and Robbie Coltrane.

We now have the full, high-quality trailer ready for your viewing enjoyment below.

Here is “The Brothers Bloom” plot description:

The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world. They swindle millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue.

Now they’ve decided to take on one last job: showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.

See our exclusive portrait of Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz.
See our “The Brothers Bloom” slideshow.
Watch more HollywoodChicago.com-hosted A&E videos.
Watch more movie videos on HollywoodChicago.com hosted elsewhere.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

2009 Summit Pictures Preview: ‘New Moon,’ ‘Push,’ ‘Knowing,’ ‘The Brothers Bloom,’ ‘Sorority Row,’ ‘Astro Boy,’ More

BrianTT — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:54:27 -0700

CHICAGO – Summit Pictures sent over release dates, cast & crew, and synopsis information for their entire 2009 slate and even included a few available images for their upcoming slate.

The 2009 Summit films with available production stills include “Push,” “Knowing,” “Next Day Air,” “The Brothers Bloom,” “Sorority Row,” and “Astro Boy”. 2009 pictures without images released yet but with film information below include “The Hurt Locker,” “Bandslam,” and “New Moon,” the highly anticipated sequel to “Twilight”.

“Push”
Release date: February 6, 2009
Cast: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, and Djimon Hounsou
Directed by: Paul McGuigan
Written by: David Bourla
Synopsis: A riveting action-thriller, Push burrows deep into the deadly world of psychic espionage where artificially enhanced paranormal operatives have the ability to move objects with their minds, see the future, create new realities and kill without ever touching their victims. Against this setting, a young man (Chris Evans) and a teenage girl (Dakota Fanning) take on a clandestine agency in a race against time that will determine the future of civilization.

“Knowing”
Release date: March 20, 2009
Cast: Nicholas Case, Rose Byrne, and Chandler Canterbury
Directed by: Alex Proyas
Written by: Ryne Douglas Pearson, Richard Kelly, Juliet Snowden, Stiles WHite, Stuart Hazeldine, and Alex Proyas
Synopsis: Academy Award® Winner Nicolas Cage (National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Leaving Las Vegas) stars in KNOWING, a gripping action-thriller of global proportions about a professor who stumbles on terrifying predictions about the future—and sets out to prevent them from coming true. His increasingly desperate efforts take him on a heart-pounding race against time until he finds himself facing the ultimate disaster—and the ultimate sacrifice.

“The Hurt Locker”
Release date: Spring 2009
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, and Guy Pearce
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Written by: Mark Boal
Synopsis: When a new sergeant, James, takes over a highly trained bomb disposal team amidst violent conflict, he surprises his two subordinates, Sanborn and Eldridge by recklessly plunging them into a deadly game of urban combat. As the men struggle to control their wild new leader, the city explodes into chaos, and James’ true character reveals itself in a way that will change each man forever.

“Next Day Air”
Release date: May 8, 2009
Cast: Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Omari Hardwick, Emilio Rivera, Darius McCrary, Cisco Reyes, and Mos Def
Directed by: Benny Boom
Written by: Blair Cobb
Synopsis: Life isn’t going smoothly for Leo Jackson. He still lives at home, he just broke up with his girlfriend and he’s had so many complaints about his sloppy work habits that his own mother is threatening to fire him. But Leo isn’t one to let a few bad breaks ruins his day—as long as he’s got plenty of weed to take his mind off his troubles. But when the wacked-out courier accidentally delivers a box containing 10 kilos of high quality cocaine to the wrong apartment, it sets in motion a hilarious and harrowing chain of events that could cost him his life.

“The Brothers Bloom”
Release date: May 15, 2009 (limited); May 29, 2009 (wide)
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, and Robbie Coltrane
Written and Directed by: Rian Johnson
Synopsis: The Brothers Bloom are the best con men in the world, swindling millionaires with complex scenarios of lust and intrigue. Now they’ve decided to take on one last job - showing a beautiful and eccentric heiress the time of her life with a romantic adventure that takes them around the world.

“Bandslam”
Release date: July 31, 2009
Cast: Alyson Michalka, Vanessa Hudgens, Gaelen Connell, and Lisa Kudrow
Written and Directed by: Todd Graff
Synopsis: When gifted singer-songwriter Charlotte Banksasks new kid in town Will Burton to manage her fledgling rock band, she appears to have just one goal in mind: go head-to-head against her egotistical musician ex-boyfriend at the biggest event of the year, a battle of the bands. Against all odds, their band develops a sound all its own with a real shot at success in the contest. When disaster strikes, it’s time for the band to make a choice: Do they admit defeat, or face the music and stand up for what they believe in?

“Sorority Row”
Release date: October 2, 2009
Cast: Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Audrine Partridge, and Carrie Fisher
Directed by: Stewart Hendler
Written by: Josh Stolberg & Peter Goldfinger
Synopsis: When five sorority girls inadvertently cause the murder of one of their sisters in a prank gone wrong, they agree to keep the matter to themselves and never speak of it again, so they can get on with their lives. This proves easier said than done, when after graduation a mysterious killer goes after the five of them and anyone who knows their secret.

“Astro Boy”
Release date: October 23, 2009
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucus, and Donald Sutherland
Directed by: David Bowers
Written by: Timothy Harris
Synopsis: Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist. Powered by positive “blue” energy, Astro Boy is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Embarking on a journey in search of acceptance, Astro Boy learns the joys and emotions of being human, and gains the strength to embrace his destiny. Ultimately learning his friends and family are in danger, Astro Boy marshals his awesome super powers and returns to Metro City in a valiant effort to save everything he cares about and to understand what it takes to be a hero.

“New Moon”
Release date: November 20, 2009
Cast: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Directed by: Chris Weitz
Written by: Melissa Rosenberg
Synopsis: Bella Swan is devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with the irresistible Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of the werewolves, ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to Summit Pictures.

AstroBoy: “Astro Boy”
Knowing01: Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.
Knowing02: Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.
Knowing03: Nicolas Cage in “Knowing”.
Knowing04: Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne in “Knowing”.
Knowing05: Poster for “Knowing”.
NextDayAir: “Next Day Air”.
Push1: Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning in “Push”.
Push2: Chris Evans and Dakota Fanning in “Push”.
Push3: Dakota Fanning and Djimon Hounsou in “Push”.
Push4: Djimon Hounsou and Camilla Belle in “Push”.
Push5: Poster for “Push”.
SororityRow: “Sorority Row”.
BrothersBloom01_2: Rachel Weisz in “The Brothers Bloom”.
BrothersBloom02_0: Adrien Brody in “The Brothers Bloom”.
BrothersBloom03_2: Adrien Brody in “The Brothers Bloom”.
BrothersBloom04_2: Rachel Weisz in “The Brothers Bloom”.

Read our Taylor Lautner casting story for “New Moon”.
Read our Robert Pattinson story on “Parts Per Billion” and “New Moon”.
See our high-quality, 28-image “Twilight” slideshow.
Read our “Twilight” opening-weekend box-office story.
Read our “Twilight” sequel story prior to opening weekend.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Exclusive Portrait: Oscar-Winning Actress Rachel Weisz on the Chicago Red Carpet For ‘The Brothers Bloom’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:04:52 -0600

CHICAGO – Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz walked a Chicago red carpet on Oct. 16, 2008 for the premiere of the film “The Brothers Bloom” as part of the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival. The HollywoodChicago.com lens was there to photograph the moment.

“The Brothers Bloom” is directed by Rian Johnson. The film stars Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Robbie Coltrane and Nora Zehetner.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com