Gilliam’s fairy tale has too much style, not enough story
When I chose to see “The Brothers Grimm” this week, I anticipated a wacky, yet insightful look into the stories that I grew up on as a child. What I got, though, was a self-absorbed production that was more concerned with dreamy effects and shock value than telling an interesting tale. It’s like “Shrek” collided with “Van Helsing” (and that’s not a good thing). This is one of those movies that can’t balance style with content. No, I take that back. With director Terry Gilliam at the helm, this movie doesn’t try to balance anything – the film pulls the reigns on content while digging its heels into style with full force.
“The Brothers Grimm” is a fictional story loosely based on the actual brothers Grimm. The brothers did in fact live during the late 18th and early 19th century, in what is Germany today, but was then yearning for an identity as hundreds of principalities. According to history, the brothers were both prolific academics, both read law and even created a dictionary that helped unify the German language. And, of course, they wrote collections of folk tales, which we, in the West, have adopted as children’s stories.
In the film, however, the brothers (played by Matt Damon and Heath Ledger) lead a troupe from town to town, pretending to be, basically, medieval ghostbusters. Their act is challenged when they are caught in a town that is actually under a magical curse and they must defend the townspeople. Wilhelm Grimm (Damon) is a headstrong, cynical ladies’ man, while Jacob Grimm (Ledger) is a nerdy scribe who actually believes in magic. The acting of these two, particularly Ledger, is a highlight of this otherwise dim film. Ledger plays against type and shows a career-remaking range. In a movie like “A Knight’s Tale,” Ledger portrays an impulsive character who thinks confidently. In Grimm, Ledger’s nerd twitches through several beats before doing anything. He was more fun to watch than anything else.
The real downfall of the movie, though, is Gilliam’s deliberate neglect of audiences. He once said “I want audiences to come out with shards stuck in them. I don’t care if people love my films or walk out, as long as they have a strong response.” If that was his goal with Grimm, he succeeded with me. Gilliam, the only American in the Monty Python troupe, has always been vocal in his disdain for typical Hollywood fare (which typically coddles human emotion and desire). And his movies prove it: his most successful include “Time Bandits” and “12 Monkeys.” His films are usually saturated with grimy detail and are marvelous examples of elaborate production design. “The Brothers Grimm” doesn’t disappoint in this area – notice the brothers’ armor and the hundreds of props in every room.
Still, this isn’t a movie I’d recommend. Early fall is typically the time studios release their stinkers, so finding a cinematic break from school can be a challenge. One of the Grimm brothers said “Truth is much more terrible than fiction.” I agree, and suggest that truth is more beautiful as well. Do yourself a favor – instead of Grimm, try seeing the documentary “March of the Penguins,” the summer hit that just arrived locally (Providence Theaters). You might be surprised.
Chris Blakesley is a movie critic for the Utah Statesman. Comments or questions can be sent to him at cblakes@gmail.com.