WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH? » Rian Johnson

‘Bloom’ beats all at the box office

cftoto — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:14:52 +0000

Which film scored the highest per-theater average last weekend?

I’ll give you a hint – it didn’t star Tom Hanks, Chris Pine or Matthew McConaughey.

“The Brothers Bloom” notched an impressive $20,500 per theater average in its first weekend of release, according to Box Office Mojo.

That tally came from only a handful of theaters – four, to be exact.

The film, which opened the Starz Denver Film Festival last year, comes from “Brick” writer/director Rian Johnson.

(Photo: Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo get involved in one con after another in “The Brothers Bloom.”)

WWTW Interview: ‘The Brothers Bloom’s’ Rian Johnson

cftoto — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:14:34 +0000

Director Rian Johnson spent his childhood making movies, using his neighborhood buddies as his cast and crew.

He’d bounce from comedy to western to action picture. The young film fanatic couldn’t settle on just one film genre.

His mashup sensibilities eventually earned him raves for his feature debut, 2005’s “Brick.” Johnson set his film noir homage in the not-so-adult world of high school.

Now, he’s at it again, cross-pollinating the con man flick with a romantic comedy in “The Brothers Bloom,” which opened the 31st annual Starz Denver Film Festival Nov. 13.

“Maybe I’m just continuing to do this,” he said of his genre-hopping film which opens in limited release next month.

“Bloom,” which stars Oscar winners Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody, follows a pair of con artists (Brody and Mark Ruffalo) trying to swindle an eccentric millionaire (Weisz) out of her fortune.

It took Johnson six years to get “Brick” made, but Weisz’s early affection for “Bloom’s” script made making the follow up far easier to complete. She fought for and won the role, and the other cast members soon followed.

Having a well regarded film under his belt should have made shooting “Bloom” a far more comfortable experience for Johnson.

Not exactly.

“I was terrified,” the affable writer/director says. His “Brick” experience helped, but he worked primarily with young actors on the movie.

“Psychologically, I bonded with them,” he says.

For “Bloom,” Johnson had to direct two Oscar winners across four Eastern European countries. Once filming began, Johnson’s nerves settled. It was just like directing his childhood pals all over again, he found.

“Once I started working, all the apprehension went away,” he says.

Part 2: Johnson reflects on film school, film festivals and making movies that mirror his colorfully chaotic family gatherings.

(Photo: Rian Johnson, writer/director of “The Brothers Bloom”)

SDFF Review: ‘The Brothers Bloom’ – The con is on

cftoto — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:28:46 +0000

Hard to imagine a better way to kick off the 31st Starz Denver Film Festival than with “The Brothers Bloom.”

Writer/director Rian Johnson of “Brick” fame has deep Denver roots, and the film’s unbridled imagination is what film festivals should be all about.

“Bloom” stars Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as brothers, natch, who have spent their whole lives conning others. They’re masters at their craft, but Bloom (Brody) can’t reconcile his crimes with his conscience any longer. Brother Stephen (Ruffalo) has no such qualms, as he proves when he targets a loopy millionaire named Penelope (Rachel Weisz) as their next mark.

Bloom begrudgingly goes along with the con. But he doesn’t plan on falling so hard, and so fast, for the lovely Penelope. And who wouldn’t? It’s impossible not to crush on the beguiling Weisz.

“Bloom” is far too tangled and convoluted to describe from this point on, but suffice to say the sly machinations behind “Brick” only hinted at Johnson’s film aspirations.

His new film offers a crash course in cinema humor, from the delightful Rinko Kikuchi of “Babel” fame as the brothers’ silent partner to so many visual gags the film begs for a second viewing.

Johnson’s artistry, and grasp of comedic timing, are shockingly high for a young filmmaker. Some will accuse him of cribbing elements from different directors – a little Wes Anderson here, a snippet of the Coens there. But he’s packaged “Bloom” as his very own vision, and if Tarantino can crib from his muses without being called a copycat, so can Johnson.

Audiences will have to swallow hard at some of the storytelling shortcuts taken in “Bloom.” Some character growth springs from thin air, and Penelope’s motives seem to change from scene to scene. But the action constantly tickles our senses, from Kikuchi’s noiseless mugging to the gorgeous backdrops of locales like Montenegro.

Brody’s career hasn’t been the same since he won a Best Actor Oscar for “The Pianist,” but he’s perfection here as the sad-sack Bloom. Wish the same can be said for Ruffalo.

The actor’s initial film performances drew favorable comparisons to Marlon Brando. Today, he’s revealed himself as a limited actor who should stick to films that fall more comfortably in his range. He isn’t bad in “Bloom,” but a more charismatic actor would have elevated the role of the wicked brother to delirious heights.

“The Brothers Bloom” opens in limited release next month, but will go wide in January. Check it out … and imagine what else Johnson has in store for audiences the next time around.