The three main characters take each other for a ride. There are a series of misadventures by plane (Jersey), train (Prague), and steamship (Greece). As the brothers’ cover as partners in the “antique reselling business” is blown, they are revealed as the “two most respected smugglers in the Western World.”
Movie’s Telling Line
“The day I con you is the day I die, Bloom.” – Stephen
The Pros
Ricky Jay’s splendid narration in the opening sequence offers hope that this is another Magnolia in the making.
Of course, the cast is the primary reason to see this movie, which includes three Academy Award winners (Brody, Weisz, and Schell) and another nominee (Kikuchi). Brody, with those sad puppy-dog eyes, plays the melancholy younger brother looking for “the real thing” in life to the hilt. Weisz, according to Johnson, has been looking for a comedic role for a while and gives her all as Penelope, who seems pleased to shift her alter-ego from the “epileptic photographer” to “Penelope the Smuggler” and “The Con Artiste.” She’s a riot and a joy to watch, especially during those thunderstorms.
But the unexpected revelation here is Kikuchi, who was nominated for best supporting actress for her role as the deaf-mute teenage misfit in Babel. In a recent interview for a festival podcast, Johnson said Kikuchi’s “comic timing is really crackerjack.” And as the brothers’ silent partner, Kikuchi, left, lets her acting shine through with her eyes and other facial expressions as Bang Bang essentially finds pleasure in blowing things up. The Marx Brothers fan in Johnson believes he has found his Harpo.
The Cons
Unfortunately, there are a lot here. Con-trived. Con-voluted. Con-founding. Take your pick. Somewhere along the way, this movie lost con-trol. The con games offer no real suspense, just an excuse to move from one exotic locale to the next.
Article comments
1 - jango
whyncha just tell us the whole damn story, you inadequate critic??
2 - carmen
I agree with you. I did find this one con-fusing and somewhat drawn out. I loved Kikuchi's role and her comparison to Harpo is perfect. Keep up the good work.