The Italians gave us so many great things; Pasta, art, Stanley Tucci. They also export great films year after year, from touching dramas to humiliating comedies. Netflix has made it easy to watch so many of these movies. Especially now that so many Italian originals are on the platform. The latter is “My Brother”, “My Sister”, or Mio Fratello mia Sorella.
It tells the story of estranged brothers who gather at home after her father’s death.
Costa’s family is grieving; Tesla (Claudia Pandolfi) is devastated by the loss of his father. And finds himself surrounded by relatives on the day of his funeral. She is shocked when her brother Nick (Alessandro Preziosi). Whom she has not seen in 20 years. Appears at the funeral to give a touching speech. Tesla ignores him at first but has to admit it. When his schizophrenic son Sebastiano (Francesco Cavallo) returns to the church to talk to him after the funeral. When the brothers and sisters read the will. They discover that their late father had one last wish. To live together in the family home for a year before being sold.
The brothers and sisters accepted this frustrating situation, and both vowed not to give up in front of the other. Tesla’s eldest daughter Carolina (Ludovica Martino), makes room for Nick. Which only makes things more worrying for Tesla, who is also concerned about Sebastiano’s fragile condition. While living together is difficult for everyone at first, over the time, older wounds begins to heal. They embark on the journey of forgiveness, and the bond that has formed takes everyone by surprise.
Francesco Cavallo is great as Sebastiano and avoids playing with the manic stereotypes we often see in schizophrenic characters. There’s a calm power in his performances, a quality of life that makes every obstacle. In his way, it is all the more painful for us as spectators. I am relieved to see this mental illness described with such care and depth. Thanks to Cavallo’s depiction, Sebastiano is never a caricature.
He is a natural person who goes to the extreme and does everything possible.
My brother and sister find their strength in their calmer emotional moments. So none of the dialogue here is particularly memorable.
I’ll be really honest: based on the title alone, I expected My Brother, My Sister to be the full version of this Folgers commercial. True, it’s a ridiculous title, but I was relieved to find the film good enough that, in the end, deception wasn’t an issue. My brothers and sisters surprised me with their big hearts and intense drama, skillfully juggling complex topics and family dynamics. The cast is so cute, from the cute and sad hippie brothers. Who reappear to troubled teens preparing for a mission to Mars. They’re all a big part of why My Brother, My Brother moves so deeply; You feel like real family, warts and everything.
While the last act was a little sickening to my taste, “Brother, My Brother” is so sincere I can’t blame it for going in such a dramatic direction. Despite almost 2 hours of work, I was still busy investing in the Costa family trip. And picking up one or the other handkerchief until the last minute. This won’t be the card for those who dislike heavy family drama. But if you want to feel some big things and cry a few tears. Your brother or sister can be right next to you.
Brother, surprised by their tenderness. Brother presents a heartwarming story of family, forgiveness and healing without (mostly) going through a very fractured path.