Will Arnett and Director Bob Odenkirk are trying again. After releasing the horrific Let’s Go To Prison last year, the two redeem themselves with the terrific and quirky The Brothers Solomon, another great movie in a great, geek-heavy year of comedy.
Kind of an opposite Knocked Up, The Brothers Solomon tells the story of brothers John (Will Arnett, Arrested Development) and Dean Solomon (Will Forte, Saturday Night Live) who are in desperate need of a child. After their father tells them – before slipping into a coma – that his most desperate wish is to have a grandson, John and Dean resolve to have a baby. But unfortunately for the siblings, their skills with the ladies? Not so hot.
As a result, the brothers soon realize they may have to resort to some alternative methods of having a baby, since picking up chicks hasn’t been so successful for them. Part of John and Dean’s problem may stem from their tactics, which include buying groceries for unsuspecting ladies (creepy, much?) and telling a date her “face makes up for her body.”
The brothers’ oddness isn’t without explanation – they had a pretty weird upbringing. After the death of their mother one Christmas, their father promised the boys anything they wanted. Of course, the boys wanted what any other young child would want – to live at the North Pole with Santa. But instead, the boys got to spend their summer down south – in Antarctica.
So the weirdness of the pair is definitely pervasive, and, just as they almost give up hope of fulfilling their father’s last wish, Craigslist comes to the rescue. Soon, the brothers find Janine (Kristen Wiig, Knocked Up) – who is perfectly willing to have their child – for $12,000.
Despite Janine’s extremely jealous and intimidating boyfriend, James (Chi McBride, Annapolis), the brothers soon win even him over – and the baby-making race is on.
But just when things seem to be coming together, jealous boyfriends are the least of John and Dean’s problems; after encountering an unexpected hitch in their plan, the brother’s relationship threatens to deteriorate. Almost freakishly close, the two undergo a sort of breakup not unlike that of a married couple, further complicating their quest for a child.
Acting-wise, Arnett is perfect for the part, and he proves his years spent perfecting awkward humor in Arrested Development weren’t in vain. Arnett puts his skills to perfect use with his horrifyingly creepy, albeit well-intentioned, character.
While not quite as awkward, Forte is just as funny as Arnett. Dean looks up to John and Forte’s subordinance works well against Arnett’s strong personality.
And the movie doesn’t rely strictly on the acting; The Brothers Solomon comes up with plenty of plot twists as well. One particularly enjoyable surprise is a short scene featuring Jenna Fisher (The Office), who goes on a date with John. In typical fashion, he asks her to marry him on the first date – and the end result is a hilariously awkward mess.
Sometimes, though, The Brothers Solomon misses the mark. A few of the jokes, particularly those about James, aren’t as funny as they could have been. Additionally, the movie does suffer from poor production. There are several noticeable continuity errors, and the boom mic can be seen in more than one shot. Although these nuisances aren’t enough to ruin a movie, they are disappointingly annoying.
The Brothers Solomon manages to stand out amid fierce competition from this year’s other great comedies like Knocked Up and Superbad by focusing on Arnett and Forte’s great chemistry. The brothers’ intense bond and lovable creepiness make the movie the most endearing comedy of the year.
aggro@umd.edu.
