The Sisters Brothers - London Film Festival

Based on the novel of the same name by Patrick deWitt, the Sisters Brothers isn’t the typical western. Directed by Jacques Audiard, his keen eye for unexpected tender moments amid a trail of blood and money, makes the story and characters more humane than the standard hired guns. 

Eli and Charlie Sisters are hitmen who work for their wealthy proprietor, the Commodore. When they are sent after Hermann’s Warm, a prospector who is accused of stealing a formula, the job turns into more than they bargained for. 

A late edition to the JOURNEY strand of the festival, among the person and literal journeys taken by characters, ‘The Sisters Brothers’ although an actual journey from Oregon to California in the old west, the brothers, Eli and Charlie, go on an emotional journey of their own. While Eli wants this to be their last job for their boss, the infamous Commodore, and Charlie is very happy to continue ‘doing what they were made for’, they each travel a different path. Eli believes he is still a good man who is only there to protect his younger violent, often drunk brother. Charlie believes that its in their blood to be killers, so may as well get paid to do it. John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix complement each other. Both brilliant actors, Phoenix is the master craftsman able to play out a display of emotions with a slight change of expression and Reilly, underrated, his filmography muddied with mediocre frat pack comedies so much that his better roles are buried. 

The events of the past weigh heavy on Eli whereas Charlie has chosen the bottle, possibles to numb any feeling at all. The brothers have a few emotional moments but none as affecting as the other duo in the story. Warm and John Morris meet while the latter is meant to be keeping him for the Sisters brothers, the two form a friendship on the road and share a passion for a better world. Riz Ahmed and Jake Gyllenhaal unexpectedly become the heart of the film, while the brothers are the muscle. As secondary characters they don’t have as much screen time, but after a tragic incident, there are hints at their deep friendship their a painful few words.

Going against the what is expected of a western, the brothers’ journey takes a turn in an undramatic way, continuing on to the end where a short but sweet cameo from Carol Kane wraps up the story. There is a feeling that you don’t have to go ‘big’, you can just go home and this too makes for a satisfying ending.  Audiard’s film isn’t about greed, despite gold being an incentive, its not about killing people, although the brothers’ history of violence makes them behave in different ways, its not just about brothers and unexpected friendships, it doesn’t even go downhill when the fateful words ‘our last job’ are uttered. ‘The Sisters Brothers’ is a difficult tone to pin down so perhaps it is all about the journey than the destination and who’s with you through it all.

Girl - London Film Festival

An intimate story about a ballet dancer who is going through hormone therapy while trying to catch up in her classes as she adjusts to the new way of dancing. The film has a positive portrayal of a supportive family and network to help Lara through her transition, but the day to day pressures and the impatience to be her self lead her to desperation.

Previously published at Vulturehound HERE.

Transgender men and women have been the topic of conversation for quite a while now. Concerning rights, what to call them and commenting on how they are portrayed in the media. Pushing all this aside, ‘Girl’ is an intermittent portrait of a girl who wants to dance and be the girl she is. 

Lara is fifteen, a ballet dancer and lives with her younger brother and her father. Having been excepted into a prestigious dance school, her family move closer so she is able to attend. Lara is transgender and in the process of taking hormones in the lead up to her operation. She has to cope with her personal issues which at times are too much, despite having a very supportive family. 

Throughout the entire film, we experienced everything Lara does. With the camera rarely away from her face and body, we feel everything she does. It’s refreshing to watch a story about a transgender woman who has is surrounded by a loving family and supportive doctors who worry about her wellbeing and mental state. Lara even has no problems with her classmates at school, that is until at a girls only sleepover party, she is given a separate room. She is also confronted by the girls, asking to see her genitals, claiming that she’s seen theirs in the changing room so why can’t they see hers. This invasion of privacy is a moment that we realise that no matter how much love and support you have, there will always be obstacles on the way to acceptance. 

As Lara is a teenager, she had been taking medication to delay pubity and doesn’t think about anything other than ballet. When Lara starts taking the hormones she becomes desperate, taking too many pills, weakening her body and even drastic measures to ensure she gets to be the woman she wants to be. Ballet is known for its discipline and and punishment to the body, Lara punishes herself, working to the bone to catch up, having learnt first as a boy and now as a girl. Ballet serves a symbol for change and sets her up for what she will have to cope with later on. 

There is the question about the actor who portrays Lara, Victor Polster and why he was chosen to portray a transgender woman, but this seems like it will always be a questions of why, which is a shame. At first ‘Girl’ is a positive outlook but soon shows its tragic undertones. Lukas Dhont gives an intimate story with what feels like a positive and realistic experience.