CS Weekly Archive > DVD of the Day > 12/23/05

Not Quite Happily Ever After

by jason davis

The Brothers Grimm

Ehren Kruger

Folklorists-cum-con men Wilhelm (Matt Damon) and Jacob Grimm (Heath Ledger) travel Europe ridding the countryside of hauntings and monsters of their own improvisation until Italian torturer Cavaldi (Peter Stormare) captures them in the name of his French master and sets them to exorcising the woods outside a small town. Awash in playful allusions to the tales of the real Brothers Grimm, the story attempts to be a bit cleverer than it really is. Though the tale's comedy is contagious and the story seems like it should be compelling, the whole screenplay (originally a spec by Ehren Kruger, but rewritten by director Terry Gilliam and his writing partner Tony Grisoni) just fails to gel -- a shame, considering the considerable talent invested in the project. Gilliam's commentary lacks the usual verve associated with his chats, though he goes to great lengths to point out subtle references to the Brothers' work. An array of deleted scenes flesh out the story with some fun sequences, but do little to invigorate the film.

The Brothers Grimm
Miramax Home Entertainment
Rated PG-13; 118 min.
$29.99

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At the age of 21, Jason Davis was hit in the face with a car. He has since devoted his life to writing. His words have appeared on TBS, MSN.com, and CS Weekly, where he serves as DVD Coordinator. He lives in Burbank.

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