Brothers | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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64%

Tomatometer

158 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Siblings Sam (Tobey Maguire) and Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhaal) are as far apart as brothers can be; while Sam serves his country as a Marine, Tommy is a drifter who just got out of prison. When Sam is shot down and presumed dead in Afghanistan, Tommy vows to take care of Sam's wife, Grace (Natalie Portman), and his children. Tommy and Grace become close, and when Sam unexpectedly returns home, the consequences of their actions threaten the foundation of the entire family.

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Brothers

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Critics Consensus

It plays more like a traditional melodrama than the Susanne Bier film that inspired it, but Jim Sheridan's Brothers benefits from rock-solid performances by its three leads.

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Critics Reviews

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

Although Brothers is not a first-rate film, it informs us about the after-effects of war and is worth seeing while we wait for better ones to come along.

Jan 16, 2018

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

... subtly yet brilliantly captures one soldier's fight to end the war in his mind months after leaving the battlefield.

Rated: A

Sep 12, 2017

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Laura Kern

Film Comment Magazine

Anyone fond of Danish director Susanne Bier's 2004 original should steer clear of this ill-advised though faithful remake by Jim Sheridan.

Sep 24, 2014

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Richard Crouse

Isn't a war movie. It's a movie about what happens after war, and in its own quiet way shows the toll war takes on not only the people overseas but those who stay home as well.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 31, 2021

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Bier's original film, which was a ballsier, more political and far grittier take on this story, carried with it a heavier, more universal tone.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 4, 2020

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Micheal Compton

Bowling Green Daily News

The entire cast is first-rate, especially Maguire, who shows a lot of range in a really difficult role.

Rated: B

May 11, 2019

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Audience Reviews

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Jules E Brilliant acting great powerful story Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/06/24 Full Review Breno G Special Effects: 0,5/Sound Effects: 1,0/Acting: 1,0/Story: 1,5 Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/23/24 Full Review Michael B Really great movie it shows what sort of thing soldiers endure when coming home from traumatic experience Smashing up the house is pretty Common thing as well as violence and anger issues.Powerful movie I liked it. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/10/24 Full Review Cathy J I was looking for a good movie to watch and happened upon Brothers. Wow! I found a great movie with some of the most believable acting I have seen in a long time! Really gives you an idea of the effects of going to battle and experiencing horrific treatment that no one can understand unless you have been there. I couldn't stop thinking about it! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/08/24 Full Review Anna E Very touching and excellent performance by the actors who play the two brothers. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/07/24 Full Review Gigs V The acting is phenomenal in this. (Ignore below commenter Jeff M). Not sure that they know what the term 'melodramatic' is. This is a film about PTSD, the effects of war, and how people deal with grief (in sometimes very bad ways). Nothing melodramatic about it. Melodrama is overreacting because someone spilt coffee on your shirt. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/11/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Jim Sheridan Director Tobey Maguire Sam Cahill Jake Gyllenhaal Tommy Cahill Natalie Portman Grace Cahill Sam Shepard Hank Cahill Bailee Madison Isabelle Cahill

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Brothers

Brothers: Official Clip - Kill or Be Killed