Based on Patrick deWitt’s 2011 novel of the same name and directed by Jacques Audiard, The Sisters Brothers is set during the 1850s and follows feuding, bounty-hunting brothers Eli and Charlie Sisters (John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix), as they hunt down Hermann Kermit Warm (Riz Ahmed), a chemist who has stolen from their menacing (and largely absent) boss, the Commodore. Private detective John Morris (Jake Gyllenhaal) is also tasked with tracking down Warm for the brothers before they arrive, but when an unlikely friendship begins to form between the two men, Morris discovers that keeping Warm alive might be more to his benefit. Suspecting that Morris and Warm are travelling together, the Sisters brothers begin a chase for both men, but unfortunately for Eli and Charlie, Warm and Morris are always out of reach and already shaking off the dust on each new town the brothers arrive in.

Rather than centring on big, macho brawls between groups of burly men, this curious western leans towards a modest exploration of the interpersonal conflicts that take place between its four main characters. On the surface it may seem long and boring, uneventful even, with any action-filled sequences being few and far between. Having said that, the film does something incredibly interesting with what is potentially a very basic chase across the West. Meshing traditional horse-riding interludes together with sporadic and subtle humour, these fragments somehow find a way to make The Sisters Brothers work best as a completed product. The film also relies rather heavily on the ambiguous nature of the plot, not always revealing who characters are when we first meet them. While this starts out as one of the film’s big strengths, it unfortunately becomes a weakness of the film, as it does not necessarily invite a second viewing.

One of The Sisters Brothers‘ most enjoyable aspects are the seemingly random and unusual events that take place on the brothers’ journey, ranging from spiders in places they shouldn’t be, to the discovery of inventions we now take for granted two centuries later. Each random event appears to spiral into something even less predictable, opening up hundreds of possibilities that are sadly never followed through. The potential for disappointment here is huge, but these possibilities find a way to attest to the subtlety of the comedy at play throughout the film. The humour is irregular and offbeat, but entertaining by all means, with the disappointment experienced by the Sisters brothers themselves becoming a central source of comedy.

That being said, the success of the film seems to be largely dependent on the performances delivered by the four leading men. Having four remarkably talented actors with such wide-reaching range save a film that may have otherwise missed its mark. The men in The Sisters Brothers are not all your typical rough-and-tumble cowboys, though just as engaging nonetheless, and this is clear in the decision to cast actors who so often defy being typecast into any one kind of role. John C. Reilly in particular is notable for his performance as the eldest Sisters brother, weaving his propensity for sensitivity and physical comedy together with Eli’s impressive bounty hunting abilities. It is evident from the introspective glimpses we gain into Morris’ diary, and the considerate questions asked often by Warm, that the reason these men are so effective as characters is a consequence of the actors who play them.

Pinned down by the weight of its four lead performances, this understated and heartfelt western is witty, unpredictable, and genuinely enjoyable above all, playing with the traditional tropes of the western in a manner of unusual and delightful ways. With a runtime of two hours and two minutes, The Sisters Brothers is undeniably a slow burner, but your patience is very much rewarded as the film begins to gain momentum and clarity.

Verdict:

The Sisters Brothers provides audiences with a unique perspective of the Old West during the California Gold Rush, with more sensitivity than spectacle, and a healthy balance between old school western shoot-outs and sympathetic conversations. However, the ambiguous motives of the characters and unusual pacing unfortunately only lend themselves to one viewing. 

7/10

The Sisters Brothers is out now on DVD and Blu-ray.