Brothers Solomon for me is filled with many conditional likes.
I wouldn't call this bad but for a comedy some of the humor seemed really forced as if the actors themselves don't even truly believe everything they say. The leading duo Arnett and Forte do have good chemistry and have some good deadpans. But I think they could deliver the lines more naturally or at least more fluidly. They try for energy to show the characters' eternal optimism but often end up only pulling some gags to the extreme and losing some of the visual quirks that can be expressed with less time and effort.
Plus the absence of even ambient soundtrack for most of the film actually detracts from the film's world than focus. I get a feeling of dead space. Added to the soundtrack quirk, the strange semi-graininess of the film print gives the impression that the film should be set in the 1970s more than the 21st century (whether that was intentional I don't know).
*spoiler* The one that steals the show more but don't see as often is the surrogate mother Janine (Wiig), who's best scene I think is when she stands up for the brothers to get the girl Tara (played smoothly by Ackerman BTW) off her ass and go out with the brothers to celebrate. When the girl refused, she turns around and sticks her tongue out at the snobby girl and leaves. This scene though simple and obviously would look boring on paper is important to the plot of the mother accepting the brothers and so naturally played out by Wiig that I the viewer fully believe and agree with her. Plus the subsequent scenes with Forte's Solomon hearing it on the baby monitor and later confronting lovestruck Arnett's Solomon is one of the dramatic highlights. Maybe they should do drama instead. ;) *end spoiler*
Ultimately, I love the chemistry and the concept but feel a little forced to accept the film's reality instead of sliding in and enjoying the whole atmosphere. The brothers were meant to be cheerful optimists but I get more the feeling of ludicrous jumping beans... with a lot of heart.
I put aside my disbelief at their actions and enjoyed the show. If you do the same you'll enjoy it too. On 3...
I wouldn't call this bad but for a comedy some of the humor seemed really forced as if the actors themselves don't even truly believe everything they say. The leading duo Arnett and Forte do have good chemistry and have some good deadpans. But I think they could deliver the lines more naturally or at least more fluidly. They try for energy to show the characters' eternal optimism but often end up only pulling some gags to the extreme and losing some of the visual quirks that can be expressed with less time and effort.
Plus the absence of even ambient soundtrack for most of the film actually detracts from the film's world than focus. I get a feeling of dead space. Added to the soundtrack quirk, the strange semi-graininess of the film print gives the impression that the film should be set in the 1970s more than the 21st century (whether that was intentional I don't know).
*spoiler* The one that steals the show more but don't see as often is the surrogate mother Janine (Wiig), who's best scene I think is when she stands up for the brothers to get the girl Tara (played smoothly by Ackerman BTW) off her ass and go out with the brothers to celebrate. When the girl refused, she turns around and sticks her tongue out at the snobby girl and leaves. This scene though simple and obviously would look boring on paper is important to the plot of the mother accepting the brothers and so naturally played out by Wiig that I the viewer fully believe and agree with her. Plus the subsequent scenes with Forte's Solomon hearing it on the baby monitor and later confronting lovestruck Arnett's Solomon is one of the dramatic highlights. Maybe they should do drama instead. ;) *end spoiler*
Ultimately, I love the chemistry and the concept but feel a little forced to accept the film's reality instead of sliding in and enjoying the whole atmosphere. The brothers were meant to be cheerful optimists but I get more the feeling of ludicrous jumping beans... with a lot of heart.
I put aside my disbelief at their actions and enjoyed the show. If you do the same you'll enjoy it too. On 3...