Release: Brothers in Law

 

Brothers in Law

Genre: Western/Dark Comedy

Director: Armando Iannucci 

Writer: Jimmy Ellis

A Hill Valley Entertainment Production

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jeff Bridges, Johnny Knoxville, Danny McBride, Pam Ferris

Budget: $33,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $28,400,128

Foreign Box Office: $19,705,111

Total Profit: -$21,919,599

Reaction: Dark Comedy films always struggle at the box office. In fact, only three of the last ten films in the genre have made a profit, so the lack of success here is disappointing but not surprising to the accounting department.

"As much as I wanted to enjoy the movie, it has its faults. McConaughey effortlessly carries the film, while Jeff Bridges delivers a strong performance in a meaty villain role. The flashback scene with the coyote had me rolling in stitches while gasping at the violence, making it a standout moment. However, the story wraps up too neatly, lacking a satisfying payoff. Additionally, Armando Iannucci's direction didn't feel particularly inspired, leaving the film falling short." - Susanne White, Tribune News Service

"Although it has flashes of brilliance for its dark comedy elements, the story lacks substance and changes direction without reason. I enjoyed the viewing experience but was left puzzled by how quickly and effortlessly it reached its conclusion." - Kanta Ramsey, AV Club

"Brothers in Law aims to combine Western and Dark Comedy but occasionally stumbles in delivering a cohesive narrative. The tone is uneven throughout, so much so that the uneven tone almost becomes its own tone. Jeff Bridges and Danny McBride were the stand-out characters to me, providing levity and nuance to a story that needed it.  I know it sounds like I'm being overly critical, but I actually did enjoy the film, I just happened to be aware of its faults at the same time - they didn't stop me from enjoying the antics depicted on-screen. I probably would have structured the story slightly differently, but the mix of comedy and western has worked for decades and continues to work here (even if it is darker than most in the genre combo)." - Dave Manning, Ridgefield Press

Rated R for language, violence, and some disturbing images