Four Brothers ** (2005, Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, André Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund) – Classic Movie Review 9476

Detroit really looks a no-go area in John Singleton’s exciting, violent 2005 B-movie thriller Four Brothers, with the actors fighting valiantly against their cypher roles and a script that forces them to act incredibly and often against logic.

Some of the action is very well staged by Singleton. With most to go on and most experience, Mark Wahlberg certainly comes off best among the players, though Tyrese Gibson, André Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund also make an impression as the other three adopted brothers. Watchable and sometimes exciting though it is, the film is violent and vengeful, and none too likeable.

The writers are David Elliot and Paul Lovett. Four adopted brothers investigate their adopted mother Evelyn Mercer (Fionnula Flanagan)’s shooting in a grocery store robbery, look for the killers and come to avenge the murder.

Also in the outstanding cast are Terrence Howard, Josh Charles, Sofía Vergara, Fionnula Flanagan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Taraji P Henson, Barry Shabaka Henley, Jernard Burks and Kenneth Welsh.

Four Brothers is directed by John Singleton, runs 109 minutes, is made by Paramount Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures and Four Brothers Films, is released by Paramount Pictures (2005) (US) and United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (UK), is written by David Elliot and Paul Lovett.

It cost $45,000,000, grossed $74,494,381, with a cumulative worldwide gross of $92,374,674.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9476

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