Fairy tales can come true — just ask Will (Matt
Damon) and Jacob (Heath Ledger) Grimm. Terry Gilliam’s fictional
rendering of the famed brothers presents them as traveling con artists who
set up phony hauntings and then offer their services as ghostbusters. In
reality, the brothers were collectors of folklore who are often credited
with stories they didn’t actually write, so Gilliam’s
characterization may not be far off the mark.
When they’re forced to rid a haunted forest of
an evil witch (Monica Bellucci), Will and Jake learn the hard way that
pretending to be experts can be a big mistake. Damon and Ledger are cast
against type, but both seem well suited to the roles of incompetent klutzes
in way over their heads. The deadly serious spirits are in sharp contrast
to the comical human villains, Delatombe (Jonathan Pryce) and Cavaldi
(Peter Stormare), who force the brothers to confront the real demons.
Stormare, who is best known for putting Steve Buscemi through a wood
chipper in Fargo,
is hilariously flamboyant, and he easily steals the film.
Gilliam (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys) can direct this sort of movie in his sleep, and that may
have been his condition while making this film. As the creation of any
other director, The Brothers Grimm would be considered a fine work, but more of
Gilliam’s combustible craziness would have been welcome. Gilliam,
however, may have had a bit more on his mind than is readily apparent. The
brothers can seen as precursors to modern filmmakers in the way they stage
their shows, and the phony hauntings may be metaphorical representations of
conspiracy theories from the Kennedy assassination to 9/11. What we see may
not necessarily be the reality. The Brothers
Grimm, ultimately, is a solid fantasy film
made for an adult audience.
Also in theaters this week. . .
The Cave [PG-13] Claustrophobic, anyone? A
pack of divers get trapped in a group of underwater caves where bottom
dwellers are waiting. ShowPlace West
The 40 Year-Old Virgin [R]
Nerdy electronic store employee, Andy Stitzer is a virgin, a 40 year-old virgin. When his
friends find out, they set out on a hilarious quest that hits a road bump
when Stitzer falls in love. ShowPlace West,
ShowPlace East
The Great Raid This
World War II film depicts the story of a group of Rangers who set out on a
mission to save 500 POWs from a camp they’ve been held at for three
years. Parkway Pointe
Ladies in Lavender [PG-13] Judi Dench and Maggie Smith
are two sisters whose lives change when they take in a young violinist. Parkway Pointe
Undiscovered [PG-13] A group of out-of-work actors
try and make it in the biz. Parkway Pointe
This article appears in Aug 25-31, 2005.
