Brother (2001)

In much of his work, Takeshi Kitano has coupled deadpan wit and sentimentality with jarring, often horrific violence. In his previous outing, Kikujiro, he veered towards the former, while with Brother, Kitano firmly positions himself in the realm of the latter. While never losing Kitano's signature mordant humor, this film features disembowelments, grisly beatings, and buckets of lopped-off pinkies. Although lacking the brilliant narrative experimentation of Hana-Bi, Brother retains that film's restrained style and elegant cinematography. Just as Fritz Lang, Michelanglo Antonioni, and Wim Wenders have employed America's vast and overwhelming landscape into their aesthetic mold, so does Kitano. Here, Los Angeles is given the same austere treatment as Tokyo in the filmmaker's early work. Though a crime saga, at the heart of this film Kitano also explores the nature of brotherhood. While Yamamoto shares a biological connection with his thick-witted sibling Ken, and a sort of foxhole loyalty with his gangster comrade Kato, Yamamoto's closest affection -- as evinced by the film's poignant ending -- lies with Denny. While Kitano and Terajima deliver solid, often laconic performances, Omar Epps' screen presence dominates every scene in which he appears. Although perhaps not Kitano's most innovative or accomplished film, Brother is a poignant, darkly beautiful work by a master of international cinema. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide