Movie:
Brother was originally released in a limited theatrical run during the middle of 2000. The film was written, edited, and directed by Takeshi Kitano, who also stars as Yamamoto. Also starring in the film are Omar Epps (Denny) and Kuroudo "Claude" Maki (Ken).

After his yakuza crime family is all but destroyed, Yamamoto is exiled to the U.S. In Los Angeles, he meets up with his half-brother, Ken, who runs a small-time drug operation. Ken introduces Yamamoto to his small crew and a friendship between them quickly forms, especially with Denny. Yamamoto then turns the crew into a powerful crime organization through turf wars and alliances. However, when the Mafia wants in on their business, the resulting war will test the bounds of friendship, loyalty, and honor.

Brother was my first Kitano film and if this is any indication of the quality of his other films, I look forward to seeing more in the future. The story, while sometimes confusing, is rather simplistic at its base level involving gang wars and retaliation, but the complex character that is Yamamoto makes the film very interesting. Moments are empathized in the film more than the story, allowing the viewer a chance to experience emotions. Quiet drama is often punctuated with violence, which could come at any moment. The violence, and there is plenty, is raw, but at the same time isn't stylized or gratuitous. However, the film does move a bit too slowly in places and the acting from much of the supporting cast is merely average.

Picture:
Brother is presented in both 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The transfer is fairly clean, given its low-budget origins. A few nicks and specks appear occasionally, as do some smaller marks and scratches. There is some noticeable grain in the print as well, especially in Chapter 14, where it almost looks like its lightly snowing (indoors). Colors are a tad muted, though flesh tones are accurate throughout. Blacks are often faded with poor shadow delineation.

Sound:
Brother is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in a combined English & Japanese track, as well as Dolby 2.0 Surround. The 5.1 track is very impressive, with the front surrounds handling most of the effects and the rears providing ambient noise. During action scenes, all the channels are active with discrete sounds. The film's score, while infrequent, adds tremendously to the film's impact and sounds terrific. Dialogue is crisp and clean throughout. Optional subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.

Extras:
Extras include trailers for Love and a Bullet, Time and Tide, and Gen X Cops.

Summary:
Due to the violence and the methodical pacing of the film, Brother is tough to recommend for everyone. The MSRP is also a tad high, given there are virtually no supplements. Despite this, those who enjoy yakuza/gangster films should definitely give it a try. Rent it.