A beacon of hope in the rundown Detroit neighborhood
where she lives, Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan) is brutally murdered
when a local convenience store is robbed. The police attribute the robbery
to random gang activity, but Evelyn’s four adopted sons have their
suspicions about the slaying and begin an investigation on their own.
Hothead Bobby (Mark Wahlberg) uses his fists first and asks questions
later; Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin) implores him, in vain, to show a little
restraint. Meanwhile, Angel (Tyrese Gibson), a former Marine, uses his
steely presence to shake down local gangbangers for information. The
youngest of the group, Jack (Garrett Hedlund), does his level best to
overcome his own fears to be a help to his brothers.
That there’s more to Evelyn’s murder comes
as no surprise, but Four Brothers stretches credibility to the breaking point with an
intricate plot that leads to a top crime boss (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and a
corrupt Detroit City Councilman (Barry Shabaka Henley). The bridge between
the opening murder and major players in the government and the underworld
is tenuous and mostly unbelievable.
However, what makes the movie bearable and, at times,
genuinely entertaining is the gritty sensibility director John Singleton
brings to the material and the fine work by the cast. Having cut his teeth
on urban dramas, including the classic Boyz n
the Hood and the underrated Baby Boy, the director is able to
realize the volatile nature of Detroit’s mean streets with a degree
of authenticity that makes the characters’ violence seem entirely
natural.
Strong performances by Wahlberg, Gibson, Benjamin, and
Hedlund add to the realism. There’s a natural sense of camaraderie
among the four principals that’s never forced and makes their scenes
together engaging and genuinely intimate.
Also in theaters this week. . .
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo[R] Deuce (Rob Schneider) is sent off to England to attend a
school for gigolos. Possibly even dumber than the original 1999 release, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. ShowPlace East, ShowPlace West
The Great Raid [R] Set in
occupied Philippines during World War II, the film tells the true story of
a Ranger Battalion, under the command of Lt. Col. Henry Mucci (Benjamin
Bratt), which undertake the daring rescue of POWs. Parkway Pointe
Mad Hot Ballroom [PG] An
uplifting documentary about inner-city school kids who learn ballroom
dancing in the classroom and compete in a citywide dance-off. Parkway Pointe
The Skeleton Key [PG-13] A
young caretaker (Kate Hudson) finds herself in the midst of voodoo
mysticism and witchcraft as she unravels a mystery. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Aug 11-17, 2005.
