Movie: 4 Brothers

The parade of summer popcorn movies continues! Last night was John Singleton's 4 Brothers, a movie that reminded me just how hit and miss this man can be. When he's on, his movies come out great (Boyz n the Hood, and... ok, just Boyz n the Hood, but that movie is kickass); when he's not, they suck pretty bad. And up until last night, there was only one movie of his that I just "really liked, but wasn't anything special": Higher Learning. A movie that proved that ridiculously over-the-top racial stereotypes are a little more palatable when you get Tyra Banks, Kristy Swanson, AND Jennifer Connelly into your movie.

But now, there is another movie in that category. Its not Oscar-worthy... Hell, its not MTV Movie Award worthy. But its fun, and there is some ass-kicking, and its low ambitions allow it to succeed quite admirably.

Plot: Nice old lady helps children in hood. Acts as mother to 4 orphans who were so delinquent they couldn't have paid parents to take them. They grow up as the world's most ridiculous-looking family. Boys leave. Mom gets blasted with a shotgun in a convenience store. Marky Mark decides to murder all of Detroit. Other singers follow along.

Which is the most amazing thing about this movie: when was the last time that 3 singer-turned-actors helmed a movie that didn't suck? Spice World? Possibly. Turns out Andre 3000 Benjamin is a pretty fine actor. Tyrese isn't, but all he has to do here is be P-whipped by Sofia Vergara and shoot a gun occasionally. Mark Wahlberg is actually pretty good here, as he always is when the role isn't too weird. And Garrett Hedlund has possibly the easiest acting role ever invented to merit lead billing in a major motion picture. The best actor in the movie, Fionnula Flanagan, was criminally underused... possibly because she is shot dead in the first 5 minutes. I love her though.

I realize this isn't the most comprehensive review. Here's my opinion: you like artsy movies? Stay away. You like to see people get shot, and get angry, and say funny, tough guy shit? Sign yourself up. In a summer that started strong and got real bad real fast, you could do a lot worse than 4 Brothers.

Oh, I almost forgot the real reason I went to see this: Chiwetel Ejiofor as main baddie Victor Sweet. I am scouting him, since he is the main new character in Serenity, which I went down on earlier this week. And the verdict is: he was easily the most captivating character in the movie. Moreso than Terence Howard, Mark Wahlberg, and Andre 3000 combined. All of which bodes well for September 30th.

Categories: Movies