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Some families have an incredibly strong bond. They work together, they vacation together, and they support each other through the good and the bad. But some families have a different kind of bond—like the one in the Philadelphia mob movie Brothers by Blood.
Brothers by Blood stars Matthias Schoenaerts as Peter, who was adopted by his uncle after his father’s death. Though he grew up with his cousin, Michael (Joel Kinnaman), they grew into very different men. Michael is now the ruthless and impulsive head of the Irish mob—and while Peter works by his side, he doesn’t approve of his cousin’s need for more power. So when the powerful Italians attempt to put them in their place, Michael prepares for war, while Peter tries to keep him from making any reckless moves.
Like most families, this one has generations of stories and relationships and connections in its past. But that’s where the comparisons end. Michael and Peter grew up in a very different world—one marked by bitter rivalries, vicious attacks, and retribution. And the years of history behind these two cousins can sometimes make their story difficult to follow—to keep track of the characters and their relationships and their alliances.
Peter’s world has always been one of fear and violence—of men talking in low tones around the kitchen table. This is a world where disagreements don’t get you taken off the Christmas card list; they get you a couple of bullets. This mob story is definitely nothing new, but it makes for a tense drama—and an equally tense relationship between these two characters. As Peter and Michael grew up, their family history brought about very different results. Peter prefers to take his aggressions out in the boxing ring, while Michael became everything that his father was and more. Peter is reserved; Michael is larger than life, seemingly under the impression that every part of Philadelphia is (or at least should be) his to control as he sees fit. He rages and orders and, when forced to choose between ending someone’s life or the slight possibility of looking weak and indecisive, he’ll choose the former every time. It’s clear from the start that these two characters will eventually reach an impasse. It’s just a matter of how it’ll play out.
Like other mob movies, Brothers by Blood is a story about violence and allegiance. It’s dark and twisting and sometimes confusing, too. It doesn’t offer anything new or surprising to the genre, but if you enjoy mob movies, the cast makes it worth watching.
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