Brother (1997 film)
Encyclopedia
Brother is a 1997 Russian crime film
directed by Aleksei Balabanov
and starring Sergei Bodrov, Jr.
The sequel Brother 2 was released in 2000. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard
section at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival
.
who himself is growing too independent for his role and irritating his mob boss Krugly (literally: "Round"). So when the Krugly hires Viktor to assassinate a Chechen mafia
boss, Viktor offers the job to Danila.
Although he claims that his Army service was spent at headquarters as a clerk, Danila carries the task out professionally. However, Krugly's hitmen who have been sent to take out Viktor upon completion follow Danila and injure him as he flees the scene in a cargo tram. After helping him, the driver of the tram, Sveta, who is married to an abusive husband, pursues an affair with Danila.
Shortly thereafter, Danila befriends several people from a very wide urban spectrum: Kat, an energetic drug addict, and Nemets (literally "German") Hoffman, a kind homeless man who helps Danila to find a home and treats him when injured.
After the first job, Viktor offers Danila a new one that he must carry out with two of Krugly's hitmen. Upon raiding the apartment, it turns out their main target is away. As they wait, first a guest to a party a floor above becomes a hostage
, and the famous Rock music star Vyacheslav Butusov
(who plays himself), of whom Danila is very fond, almost ends in a similar situation. Afterwards Danila decides to save the radio director, Butusov's friend, and kills the two assassins after they kill another hostage. Once again Nemets helps Danila.
By this time, Krugly becomes frustrated that all his jobs with Tatarin end with his men being killed. So instead he raids Viktor's home who gives the details of his brother. Danila is first unsuccessfully ambushed near his home by a Krot (literally Mole). After that fails, Krugly raids Sveta's communal apartment and his men assault and rape her. Upon returning and seeing Sveta's face Danila becomes enraged, realizing that it was not her husband but his assassins that are responsible.
Just then, he calls his brother who tells him to come immediately. By this point, Krugly has beaten Viktor and is prepared to finish both of the brothers off. However Danila proves too strong a challenge, and ends up killing most of Krugly's men along with Krugly himself.
Afterward, Danila realizes that his own brother has turned him in, yet forgives him, and tells him to move back to his home town. Afterward, in an attempt to rescue Sveta, he stumbles upon her husband whom he shoots and injures. Yet Sveta refuses to go with Danila and shows love to her spouse instead. Later on, saying goodbye to Kat, Danila and Nemets hold a final philosophical conversation, and the film ends with Danila on a snow-covered road hitching a ride to Moscow.
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
directed by Aleksei Balabanov
Aleksei Balabanov
Aleksei Balabanov is a popular Russian filmmaker. Balabanov is best known for the 1997 crime film Brat , and its more action-oriented sequel, Brat-2 , both of which starred the late Sergei Bodrov Jr. as a novice hit man...
and starring Sergei Bodrov, Jr.
Sergei Bodrov, Jr.
Sergei Bodrov Jr. was a Russian actor who had lead roles in the movies Brother, Prisoner of the Mountains, The Stringer and Brother 2. He was the son of the Russian playwright, actor, director and producer Sergei Bodrov...
The sequel Brother 2 was released in 2000. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival
1997 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*Isabelle Adjani *Gong Li *Mira Sorvino *Paul Auster *Tim Burton *Luc Bondy *Patrick Dupond *Mike Leigh *Nanni Moretti *Michael Ondaatje -Feature film competition:...
.
Plot
The film begins when Danila Bagrov (Bodrov), a former conscript after demobilisation, travels to St. Petersburg to seek out his older brother Viktor, who his mother is confident will help him make a living. His brother, Viktor (criminal nickname Tatarin), is an accomplished hitmanHitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
who himself is growing too independent for his role and irritating his mob boss Krugly (literally: "Round"). So when the Krugly hires Viktor to assassinate a Chechen mafia
Chechen mafia
The Chechen mafia is one of the largest organized crime groups operating in the former Soviet Union next to established Russian mafia gangs, which originally consisted of criminals of Chechen ethnicity who later also tried to recruit former Russian special military forces, police and army officers...
boss, Viktor offers the job to Danila.
Although he claims that his Army service was spent at headquarters as a clerk, Danila carries the task out professionally. However, Krugly's hitmen who have been sent to take out Viktor upon completion follow Danila and injure him as he flees the scene in a cargo tram. After helping him, the driver of the tram, Sveta, who is married to an abusive husband, pursues an affair with Danila.
Shortly thereafter, Danila befriends several people from a very wide urban spectrum: Kat, an energetic drug addict, and Nemets (literally "German") Hoffman, a kind homeless man who helps Danila to find a home and treats him when injured.
After the first job, Viktor offers Danila a new one that he must carry out with two of Krugly's hitmen. Upon raiding the apartment, it turns out their main target is away. As they wait, first a guest to a party a floor above becomes a hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
, and the famous Rock music star Vyacheslav Butusov
Vyacheslav Butusov
Vyacheslav Butusov , born October 15, 1961, was a lead singer of Nautilus Pompilius, a Russian rock group, until its disbandment. He has since started his own career as a singer.-Biography:...
(who plays himself), of whom Danila is very fond, almost ends in a similar situation. Afterwards Danila decides to save the radio director, Butusov's friend, and kills the two assassins after they kill another hostage. Once again Nemets helps Danila.
By this time, Krugly becomes frustrated that all his jobs with Tatarin end with his men being killed. So instead he raids Viktor's home who gives the details of his brother. Danila is first unsuccessfully ambushed near his home by a Krot (literally Mole). After that fails, Krugly raids Sveta's communal apartment and his men assault and rape her. Upon returning and seeing Sveta's face Danila becomes enraged, realizing that it was not her husband but his assassins that are responsible.
Just then, he calls his brother who tells him to come immediately. By this point, Krugly has beaten Viktor and is prepared to finish both of the brothers off. However Danila proves too strong a challenge, and ends up killing most of Krugly's men along with Krugly himself.
Afterward, Danila realizes that his own brother has turned him in, yet forgives him, and tells him to move back to his home town. Afterward, in an attempt to rescue Sveta, he stumbles upon her husband whom he shoots and injures. Yet Sveta refuses to go with Danila and shows love to her spouse instead. Later on, saying goodbye to Kat, Danila and Nemets hold a final philosophical conversation, and the film ends with Danila on a snow-covered road hitching a ride to Moscow.
Cast
- Sergei Bodrov Jr. - Danilo Bagrov
- Viktor SukhorukovViktor SukhorukovViktor Ivanovich Sukhorukov is a Russian actor. He has appeared in over 50 films and television shows since 1974. He starred in Happy Days, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
- Danila's Brother Victor Bagrov - Svetlana Pismichenko - Sveta
- Yuri Kuznetsov - Hofman (The German)
- Mariyz ZhukovaMariya Zhukova (actress)Mariya Zhukova is a Russian actress, born in Aldan, Russia .- External links :...
- Cat - Vyacheslav ButusovVyacheslav ButusovVyacheslav Butusov , born October 15, 1961, was a lead singer of Nautilus Pompilius, a Russian rock group, until its disbandment. He has since started his own career as a singer.-Biography:...
- Butusov - Irina Rakshina - Zinka
- Sergei Murzin - Kruglyj (The Round)
- Anatoli Zhuravlyov - Nervous Bandit
- Igor Shibanov - Militiaman
- Andrey Fyodortsov - Styopa
- Sergei Debizhev - Himself
Production crew
- Aleksei BalabanovAleksei BalabanovAleksei Balabanov is a popular Russian filmmaker. Balabanov is best known for the 1997 crime film Brat , and its more action-oriented sequel, Brat-2 , both of which starred the late Sergei Bodrov Jr. as a novice hit man...
— director, screenwriter - Sergei Selyanov — producer
- Sergei Astakhov — cinematorapher
- Vyacheslav ButusovVyacheslav ButusovVyacheslav Butusov , born October 15, 1961, was a lead singer of Nautilus Pompilius, a Russian rock group, until its disbandment. He has since started his own career as a singer.-Biography:...
— composer - Vladimir KartashovVladimir KartashovVladimir Yurievich Kartashov was a Russian artist and award-winning production designer. He was a twin brother of poet and artist Alexander Kartashov.-Biography:...
— production designer - Nadezhda Vasilyeva — costumer