The Sisters Brothers (2018)

Director: Jacques Audiard
Stars: John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal
Runtime:  121 minutes

Synopsis: Eli Sisters and his brother Charlie, a famous duo known as the Sisters Brothers, go on a quest to find a gold prospector in 1850s Oregon.

• Performances: 8/10

Why? Led by an all-star cast that includes the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, John C. Reilly, and Riz Ahmed, Jacques Audiard's latest film was bound to have strong acting skills in it. And while the performances may not be the actors' most memorable ones to date, they still succeeded in making it their own. If I were John C. Reilly's agent, I'd tell him to stay away from slapstick comedies and focus more on playing more serious roles because that's where he shines most. 

• Screenplay: 5/10

Why? "The Sisters Brothers" is not an easy watch. Not because it has violent and gruesome imagery (it actually could've benefited from a little more violence), but because the story and characters never truly grab you. I was never invested in what was happening on screen, nor in the fate of any of the four main characters. The film's tone also didn't quite work for me as it tries to balance between comedy and drama without exactly succeeding in finding that balance. I didn't hate "The Sisters Brothers", I just don't think that the movie will stick with me in the long run.  

• Costumes/Makeup: 7/10

Why? They were good, but not amazing. The costume design didn't always look very authentic, but never to the point of taking you out of the movie. 

• Editing: 4/10

Why? One of the main reasons I came out of the movie a tad disappointed. The pacing was incredibly slow and the runtime of 2 hours not entirely justified. A lot of scenes feel disconnected from the story and a lot of cuts didn't work for me as they were either sudden or deviated from the violence taking place.

• Cinematography: 7/10

Why? Yes, the cinematography did feel pretentious at times, especially when a shaky cam is used. But the way the opening and closing scenes were shot made up for it.

• Score/Soundtrack: 6/10

Why? Alexandre Desplat is one of my favorite composers working today, and I was excited to see what he would bring to a film like this one. Sadly, I came out of it forgetting that he was even attached to the project. The score is not bad by any means, it just didn't add anything to the movie for me personally.

FINAL GRADE: 6/10

To see how "The Sisters Brothers" compares to other films released in 2018, click here.