IMDb > The Brothers Bloom (2008)
The Brothers Bloom
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Brothers Bloom (2008) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 31 | slideshow) Videos (see all 18)
The Brothers Bloom (2008) -- A pair of brothers and veteran conmen (Brody and Ruffalo) target an enigmatic wealthy woman (Weisz) as their potential last job, fully unaware of the twists in the road ahead of them.
The Brothers Bloom (2008) -- This is a clip from the movie The Brothers Bloom.
The Brothers Bloom (2008) -- The Brothers Bloom - Theatrical Trailer
The Brothers Bloom (2008) -- Second trailer for this comedy
The Brothers Bloom (2008) -- 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 adventur

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   9,516 votes
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 15% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Rian Johnson (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Brothers Bloom on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 May 2009 (Sweden) more
Tagline:
They'd never let the truth come between them
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(319 articles)
Jp’s Top 10 of 2009
 (From SmellsLikeScreenSpirit. 7 January 2010, 11:50 AM, PST)

Top Posters of 2009: #2 The Brothers Bloom
 (From ioncinema. 6 January 2010, 5:18 PM, PST)

User Reviews:
The Archer Fish of Cinema more (63 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Rachel Weisz ... Penelope

Adrien Brody ... Bloom

Mark Ruffalo ... Stephen
Rinko Kikuchi ... Bang Bang

Robbie Coltrane ... Curator
Maximilian Schell ... Diamond Dog
Ricky Jay ... Narrator (voice)

Zachary Gordon ... Young Bloom

Max Records ... Young Stephen

Andy Nyman ... Charleston

Noah Segan ... The Duke

Nora Zehetner ... Rose
Ram Bergman ... Himself
Craig Johnson ... Apple Cart Vendor
Dubravko Jovanovic ... Albino
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Penelope (USA) (original script title)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for violence, some sensuality and brief strong language.
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
USA:PG-13 (certificate #44635) | Canada:14A (Toronto International Film Festival) | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:11 | Hong Kong:IIA | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Mexico:B
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Out of the quartet of caperers, Rian Johnson found the character of Bang Bang the most fun to write. Bloom was the easiest, and Penelope was the most difficult because he wanted her character to transcend the sum of her quirks, despite having the most personal connection to her. Johnson has also admitted to wishing he could be Stephen. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: When the Brothers Bloom arrive at Mexico, you see the Portuguese flag on the boat S.S. Fidele, when supposedly you have to show the flag of the country you are about to moor. more
Quotes:
Bloom: Eat your waffles, fat man. more
Movie Connections:
References Once Upon a Time in America (1984) more

FAQ

Does Stephen really die or is it just another con?
Did Diamond Dog abuse Bloom?
Are the Bloom brothers really brothers?
more
33 out of 53 people found the following review useful.
The Archer Fish of Cinema, 21 October 2008
8/10
Author: laraemeadows from United States

The Brothers Bloom unwinds the story of two confidence men, an Asian sidekick and their rich but isolated mark. The Brothers Bloom is a charming off kilter dramedy about love.

Bloom (Adrien Brody) and his brother Stephen (Mark Ruffalo) work as confidence men with their explosive sidekick Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi). Tired of the life, Bloom tells his brother he's done. His brother talks him into one final con against Penelope Stamp (Rachael Weisz.) Penelope is a rich, eccentric shut-in who has yet to live. They take advantage of her loneliness in a scam meant to satisfy her need for adventure.

Rian Johnson sees the world in The Brothers Bloom the way an archer fish sees bugs. The archer fish hunts bugs above the water's surface by shooting water at the bug from below the water line. When looking up from underneath everything looks like it is one place but actually is in a slightly different place because water refracts light, changing the view for the submerged. The archer fish has to see things slightly cockeyed in order to get the archery right. Rian Johnson took a slightly crooked approach to get the cinematic physics just right.

Penelope Stamp is the Robin Hood of cinematic archer fish. Everything about her life, her development, and her emotions are delightfully off balance. She isn't brilliant but she had dedicated herself to learning how to do many strange and obscure things. It wasn't good enough for Rian Johnson to make Penelope interested in pinhole cameras (a camera made by putting a piece of photo paper in a light-tight container and poking a pin hole in it to expose the paper), it had to be a pin hole camera made of a watermelon. Johnson made sure Penelope is beautiful, but by casting Weisz, made her an interesting beauty.

It isn't just the nature of the characters, but also how they talk. Johnson commits so fully to this strange-ified world, that dialogue that would warrant a call to the loony bin in real life, seems natural in the world created in The Brothers Bloom.

The downside to making the characters fit so naturally in their world is jokes or emotions that might resonate deeply in our world sometimes fall a little flat in The Brothers Bloom. There are no gut busting jokes but occasionally the audience finds themselves chuckling. Cheeks will not be soaked in tears, but occasionally a frog may find way into the throats of the viewers.

The Brothers Bloom is an endearing quirk-filled film sure to whisk the audience away on a flying crime filled love carpet.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (63 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Brothers Bloom (2008)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Penelope's Driving Skills sunbatt50
Remember when people thought Brody would go on to be a great actor giantpanther
why has it not been released in the UK Bod-36
Too self-consciously 'cute';I Just Didn't Care about any of them film_ophile
Was the Diamond Dog a molester? bolicked
Well, I really, truely enjoyed it! punkboyeverett
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Grosse Pointe Blank The Spider Returns The Dark Knight Once Upon a Time in Mexico La meglio gioventù
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Adventure section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.