Film Analysis:
My Brother The Devil (2012) - Directed by Sally El Hosaini
Starring: James Floyd, Elarica Johnson and Fady Elsayed
My Brother The Devil (2012) - Directed by Sally El Hosaini
Starring: James Floyd, Elarica Johnson and Fady Elsayed
This film, like several others, is a British social realism about ‘living with crime’. However the stereotypical approach to those who suffer from a life of crime is reversed here, basing the narrative around two brothers. The film explores themes of homophobia, passion, pride, guilt and family. The strong bond between Rashid (James Floyd) and his younger brother Mo (Fady Elsayed) is tested to the limit when they both face extreme prejudices, because of age, ethnicity and sexuality. This film has a certain aspect which makes it resonate above many other films detailing ‘living with crime’ as it looks at all aspects of the spectrum when it comes to prejudice. The protagonist Rashid may seem careless, trustworthy and criminal, yet his undying love and care for his brother illustrates that he understands what is important in his life.
A turning point in the film which makes the performance really stand out and resonate with the audience, is the beat in Rashid’s character. Once he realises that ‘the streets’ and everything that he does as part of his gang culture is going to benefit him in life, he decides to apply for a job, desperately trying his best in effort to support his younger brother. The stimulus for Rash seems to solely be based around his brother, similar to The Selfish Giant (2013), the link between the protagonists is the entire basis of the film. The climactic reveal of Rash’s homosexuality is the driving point for Mo, he hides it and informs everyone that Rash’s is acting strangely, he replaces him in his ‘crew’ and begins venturing down on the path that Rash didn’t want for him. The element of brotherly love is present in the film and aids/guides the protagonists, influencing everything that they do.
The start of the films introduce the protagonist, not using their dialogue, but rather their actions and body language. Since it is most important that the audience understand the inner workings, attitudes and beliefs of the protagonists, we see Rash, boxing a punching bag. His frustration and anger about the things that go on in his life are illustrated here. Another point in the film where we see him boxing is after his best friend Izzy (Anthony Walsh) is murdered, this opening sequences acts as foreshadowing for later in the film and the eventual anger which rash will adopt. In regards to Mo, we see him loitering around, clueless, hopeless and quite vacant similar to how he is the rest of the film. His desire for something more, especially the star-crawled life of his brothers drives his inevitable boredom. A variety of long shots are used in conjunction with the theme of isolation to show his situation. These comparison shots of Rash and Mo then transitions into a 360 degree spin of the camera as they both celebrate their brotherly passion. The film is lined with an overall deeper tone of colours compared to its counterparts, Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant, both of which are based near extremely urban or rural areas, a grey monotone wash is seen in these films, unlike in My Brother The Devil which tries to create a much more uplifting attitude. It however derives away from this positive attitude and reverts back to the darker and grimier tone during scenes of anguish.
A turning point in the film which makes the performance really stand out and resonate with the audience, is the beat in Rashid’s character. Once he realises that ‘the streets’ and everything that he does as part of his gang culture is going to benefit him in life, he decides to apply for a job, desperately trying his best in effort to support his younger brother. The stimulus for Rash seems to solely be based around his brother, similar to The Selfish Giant (2013), the link between the protagonists is the entire basis of the film. The climactic reveal of Rash’s homosexuality is the driving point for Mo, he hides it and informs everyone that Rash’s is acting strangely, he replaces him in his ‘crew’ and begins venturing down on the path that Rash didn’t want for him. The element of brotherly love is present in the film and aids/guides the protagonists, influencing everything that they do.
The start of the films introduce the protagonist, not using their dialogue, but rather their actions and body language. Since it is most important that the audience understand the inner workings, attitudes and beliefs of the protagonists, we see Rash, boxing a punching bag. His frustration and anger about the things that go on in his life are illustrated here. Another point in the film where we see him boxing is after his best friend Izzy (Anthony Walsh) is murdered, this opening sequences acts as foreshadowing for later in the film and the eventual anger which rash will adopt. In regards to Mo, we see him loitering around, clueless, hopeless and quite vacant similar to how he is the rest of the film. His desire for something more, especially the star-crawled life of his brothers drives his inevitable boredom. A variety of long shots are used in conjunction with the theme of isolation to show his situation. These comparison shots of Rash and Mo then transitions into a 360 degree spin of the camera as they both celebrate their brotherly passion. The film is lined with an overall deeper tone of colours compared to its counterparts, Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant, both of which are based near extremely urban or rural areas, a grey monotone wash is seen in these films, unlike in My Brother The Devil which tries to create a much more uplifting attitude. It however derives away from this positive attitude and reverts back to the darker and grimier tone during scenes of anguish.
No comments:
Post a Comment