The Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best
Starring: Ryan O’Nan, Michael Weston, Arielle Kebbel, Melissa Leo, Andrew McCarthy
Director: Ryan O’Nan
Rating: 4/5
Ryan O’Nan makes his directorial debut with The Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best, a movie he stars in as well as penned.
Recently dumped by his girlfriend and his band, perpetual underachiever Alex (O'Nan) toils away at a comically depressing real estate office, picking up solo gigs wherever he can.
After an altercation with a colleague (Wilmer Valderrama), he also finds himself jobless and without purpose.
When hearing one of Alex's sets, eccentric and self-proclaimed musical revolutionist Jim (Weston) comes up with a plan for the two of them to tour the country as a musical duo.
Realizing the state of his existential dilemma, Alex reluctantly joins Jim on the road.
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best is a quirky movie that is truly heart-warming and incredibly charming.
This is a movie that is about deciding what you want from life and not being afraid or deterred from trying to achieve your dreams, not matter how hard the path may be.
Sure the film is a little slow to start but once O’Nan teams up with Michael Weston and the pair hit the road it really picks up.
There is a great and manic turn from Weston as Jim, a man who believes that he is a musical genius and makes his music on early-learning instruments.
But a charming friendship between the pair develops and it becomes very much a buddy film about two guys doing what they love most.
Arielle Kebbel also turns in a great performance as Cassidy and she brings a bit of spice and uncertainty to the story - the trio works really well and there is a genuine bond between the three.
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best is a real underdog story but it has a sweetness to it and you can’t help but root for Alex and Jim as they go on this musical journey.
There is also a fantastic musical element as Ryan O’Nan shows that he is a great guitar player as well as a strong vocalist - thrown in some beats from early -leaning instruments and you have a great song on your hands.
This is an assured piece of filmmaking from O’Nan as he shows that he has a real flair behind the camera - not to mention this is a great script.
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best is a sweet movie from start to finish that is as much about friendship and loyalty as it is about achieving your dreams.
The Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw