Six-time Academy Award nominee, Irish director Jim Sheridan remakes the powerful 2004 Danish film “Brothers” directed by Susanne Bier which follows a screenplay she created with Anders Thomas Jensen. The film portrays an image of a broken family revolving on the ironic tale between two siblings infusing jealousy, misunderstanding and trauma as cores. Sheridan’s adaptation remains loyal to the original but infuses a new twist by relocating the story to Afghanistan and introducing a unique set of characters.

The story begins with Marine captain and family man Sam Cahill (Toby Maguire) ready to ship out to Afghanistan for a fourth tour of duty. During the same time, his troubled younger brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is freshly released from jail after a bank robbery heist. Things stir up in an awkward family dinner as Sam’s wife Grace (Natalie Portman) and kids Isabelle (Bailee Madison) and Maggie (Taylor Geare) together with parents Hank (Sam Shepard) and Elise (Mare Winningham) send off Sam whilst welcoming back Tommy.

However due to a somewhat expected turn of events Sam’s helicopter is shot down and most presume that he has died in the incident. What was unexpected though was Tommy standing up to take over the family responsibilities left by Sam to both his wife and daughters.

By chance of faith, Sam survives with fellow soldier (Patrick Flueger) to fall into the tortuous hands of the Taliban. After experiencing the worst encounter he comes home free to his family. His changes were noted however as he begins to doubt his manhood and moral integrity. Tensions rise as the wheels have turned on the brothers and now it is clear that Tommy has fallen in love with Grace. These events turn Sam into a fit of rage and jealousy. The previous dinner party sequence is repeated with a reversal of roles.

Sheridan motivates his actors well and emits in them the best performance of their lives. Highly notable was Maguire who gave out probably the best performance of his career to date. He is able to maintain an exterior albeit showing audience his shattered life. You can clearly see the anguish and suffering he’s been through which he also delivers physically without going overboard.

Another standout among the cast is 10 year old Bailee Madison who portray how misbehaviour can affect a child’s natural instinct and trust. She’s a natural and her most memorable scenes were with the balloon at the dinner table and her face-off with Sam during her sister’s birthday. Both Gyllenhaal and Portman who play supporting roles deliver terrific performances suited for their roles.

Sheridan’s debut collaboration with cinematographer Fred Elmes provides the production wonderful widescreen shots with New Mexico serving as both the American home setting and Afghanistan. Elmes creatively uses colours to depict the inner states of each person.

The only weak part for the film is the quick ending inferior to Bier’s sceptical approach.