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 The Brothers Grimm
by Katrina Kearney
If asked to recount our favorite fairy tales, many of us would respond with the classics, the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. Director Terry Gilliam uses the creativity, wit, and charm of Matt Damon and Heath Ledger to create a fairy tale of his own entitled The Brothers Grimm. Where else could one find mystery, magic, love, fate, curses, and a happy ending except in a fairy tale?
This tale of two brothers takes place in French occupied Germany, where the brothers are famous for their ability to break evil curses. Unbeknownst to the citizens of Germany, the brothers are but clever individuals very knowledgeable of the stories and of curses, which do exist. They are underhandedly arranging these mysterious events to occur so the brother will appear to be heroes. As in a classic fairy tale, a problem presents itself early on. For Jacob and Will, it is solving the disappearances of eleven girls in the forest. No longer are they able to live their fraudulent lifestyle, but are thrust into the fairy tale as viewers await a happy ending.
The director uses trees to entangle the characters while using various pieces of classic fairy tales to enhance and at times complicate the story. The Mirror Queen (Monica Bellucci) is trying to regain her beauty and youthfulness by stealing it from the young girls in the village. However, she needs twelve girls to break a curse and restore her happiness. The Mirror Queen often appears in the form of a spirit who asks, as the witch did in Snow White, who is the fairest of them all. The story as to how and why she is asleep and needs her spell broken encompasses the tales of Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. Some of the girls that she captures include Greta from the Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood. By the movie's end, the brothers figure out the mystery of the missing girls in time to destroy the Mirror Queen, and break the curse by kissing their true loves. In the end, all the girls are saved, and they all live happily ever after.
Growing up reading fairy tales and/or doing an in-depth study of fairy tales prior to viewing would probably enhance one's level of understanding and appreciation for this film. Though it is a fairy tale, the mixture of multiple characters and curses make the story more complex than enjoyable. At times, familiar characters are added with seemingly no purpose at all. This is not a film for the shallow thinker but rather for those who are critical thinkers and can think "outside of the box."
After viewing this film, I asked another viewer—who happened to be in the fourth grade—what she thought of it. She simply replied that it was interesting and funny at times, but confusing. She further stated that she was not aware of all of the fairy tales that were presented throughout the film and was therefore confused many times. I asked if she studied fairy tales in school, to which she replied, "No." As a teacher and movie lover, I would not say that it was a top-notch film. However, my fourth-grade students complete a study of fairy tales where they analyze and create fairy tales of their own; this film would not make for a great independent study, but it would make for a great class discussion on the elements of fairy tales and a great way to see who knows their fairy tales. Though my final opinion of this film is that it was fair rather than great, I did not leave completely disappointed. Thus I can say: I had a happy ending. •
Katrina Kearney is a fourth-grade teacher at Glenelg Country School in Glenelg, Maryland. She is currently working on self-publishing her first children's book, writing music, enjoys singing and writing. In addition to teaching, she tutors students in writing. Katrina believes in her students and impresses upon them the importance of following their dreams.
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CBC Teacher Movie Reviews
• 6/15/05 - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - PG
• 7/25/05 - Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
• Brothers Grimm - PG-13
• Chicken Little - G
• 12/9/05 - The Chronicles of Narnia - PG
• 2/10/06 - Curious George (H. A. and Margaret Rey, et. al.)
• 4/7/06 - Hoot (Carl Hiaasen)
• 3/3/06 - Aquamarine (Alice Hoffman)
• 7/21/06 - Lady in the Water (M. Night Shyamalan)
• 7/28/06 - Flicka (Mary O'Hara)
• 8/4/06 - Ant Bully (John Nickle)
• 8/18/06 - Stormbreaker (Anthony Horowitz)
• 8/25/06 - How to Eat Fried Worms (Thomas Rockwell)
The Brothers Grimm
"Terry Gilliam's The Brothers Grimm is a work of limitless invention, but it is invention without pattern, chasing itself around the screen without finding a plot." —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times
"The Brothers Grimm, Terry Gilliam's long-awaited return to the screen after a run of director's bad luck (see the 2002 documentary Lost in La Mancha for the dire evidence), is hardly a triumph. It is a Terry Gilliam movie, though, and that's worth something." —Ty Burr, Boston Globe
"Gilliam hasn't lost his manic visual touch or his flair for dangerously dark humor, but the story isn't worthy of the masterful tale-tellers who gave the film its title." —E! Online
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Written by: Ehren Kruger
MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for violence, frightening sequences, and brief suggestive material
Runtime: 118 minutes
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