Brother's Justice (2010) User Reviews

Uneven

[krachtm · 5/10 · 25 January 2013]

The plot: A comedian decides to quit making comedies and, instead, become an international martial arts superstar, despite being thoroughly incompetent.

There are some funny moments in this movie, but most of them involve the co-stars, rather than the leads. I can see what they were intending, but I'm not really sure that it worked. Much of the movie is meant to be stupid or intentionally bad, which I guess works, but it fails to be funny. The execution just isn't all that great. I think the biggest problem is that they just couldn't find a balance between the self-conscious, ironic, intentionally bad scenes and the funny scenes.

It's not horrible, but it's a bit uneven, and there are parts that are a bit slow and boring. It's also got lots of warmed-over Internet memes, like Chuck Norris references, ironic homophobia, ironic homoeroticism, and an ironic appreciation of bad B movies. If you still laugh at Chuck Norris jokes, five years after most of the Internet got tired of them, then this is the movie for you. If you can't imagine living your life without copious amounts of irony, this is the movie for you. If you're a bit tired of all this stuff, then I'd advise you just watch a Christopher Guest mockumentary.

Dax Shepard is smart, funny and charming, "Brother's Justice" really isn't any of that

[napierslogs · 5/10 · 9 July 2011]

A "documentary" about Dax Shepard retiring from comedy so he can pursue his dream of becoming a Martial Arts action star. Seriously. OK, maybe not so seriously. The beginning has Dax and his producing partner Nate Tucker going from agent to lawyer to producers to actors to directors to sell his karate idea "Brother's Justice", well, at this stage it's really just a title. When it's funny, it's very funny.

The problem is, when it's not funny, it's not anything. For an hour and a half run time, it's awfully long for a one-joke movie. Because really, that's all this is, one joke about Shepard trying to sell Hollywood on the idea of him becoming an action star in the ilk of Steven Segal. The idea that this documentary is serious is supposed to be funny, but I can't take this seriously. I've seen enough of Shepard in both comedy and drama roles that I know he's not actually this stupid.

It's cool that so many Hollywood hot-shots were willing to make themselves look like arrogant jerks for the sake of Dax Shepard and this (documentary? movie? —I don't know what to call it). At least their parts mostly work because Jon Favreau, Ashton Kutcher, Bradley Cooper and Tom Arnold can all do comedy and drama.

Ironically, unlike Dax's "successful" comedies like "Employee of the Month" (2006) and "When in Rome" (2010), "Brother's Justice" actually has all the elements of a good story: a sympathetic character (who doesn't want to see a good guy succeed in Hollywood?), conflict (Dax thinks it's a good idea, Hollywood does not), drama, comedy, and then the idea that friendship rises above everything. But none of that really works here.

Unintentionally, "Brother's Justice" just proves that Dax Shepard is best suited for comedy, or maybe that's its entire purpose. I never was sure if I was supposed to take this seriously or as one long joke. I'm sorry Dax, but I will always highly value your dramatic work in "Parenthood" and "The Freebie" (2010).

NOT a movie, but a fake documentary, with some witty scenes about the difficulties getting a (weird) movie produced.

[imseeg · 5/10 · 24 July 2019]

Director Dax Sheppard's 2 other movies are really worthwhile watching: "Hit and Run" and "CHIPS" are both really original, exciting and witty, but this directorial debut is NOT a movie at all, but a fake documentary, that wants to make fun of the difficulties of getting a movie made in Hollywood.

Quentin Tarantino has said it. Steven Spielberg has said the same thing before: just start making a movie with nothing IF you are REALLY passionate about directing. And this mockumentary is the result. He cant get any financing to fund this movie idea of his, so let's make fun of this whole tiresome process of NOT finding money for a picture by making a fake documentary about it. Unfortunately it ismt witty enough all the time to be captivated by it. Better watch Dax Shepard's other 2 movies, those other 2 REAL movies are absolutely terrific!

Really

[devin-75 · 1 December 2010]

No really? No seriously, really? this was so stupid I can't even imagine someone paying money to produce this. I saw it (festival) cause i like some of the cast (jon and Bradley), but I never heard of the lead. Then I came here to IMDb to see what else this guy has been in an then... I understood. Employee of the month. Classic comedy there. let's go to prison and the freebie sound like good idea's but... wow. maybe I'm being to harsh, it's just i don't have a lot of time to spend watching movies and it gets to me when they are this bad.

sorry for anyone involved in the making of this! I only wrote this to save others. Not to bash your work.

Dax Shepard tries to be funny by not being funny and (accidentally) films a cure for insomnia

[BOOGIEMAN-pN · 3/10 · 28 July 2011]

Good God ... I just woke up after another attempt to watch this movie/docku-mockumentary (or whatever it is) and decided to write a few lines here as an warning to all other folks around the world who maybe came up with the same idea.

I'm so drained and weary right now, but even if I was at my best I wouldn't know how to write a review of a movie that has nothing going on for (what it felt like) hours but is actually just slightly more than 70 minutes long (wth!?) wow !

Thinking back, why did I start watching this celluloid sanity torture in the first place ? Maybe because with an glimpse of my eye I saw all that guest appearances of celebrities I like on it's IMDb page, or probably even more because I hoped to see Kristen Bell's cameo ... it will remain unknown to me ... the bottom line is, I'm writing this for you and if you're planing on watching this, consider yourself warned (and prepare a comfy pillow)

A for effort

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 11 May 2012]

The movie tries and breaks down the wall between itself and the viewer. While I haven't watched "I'm still here" yet, I'm sure it will be more subtle and better approach to "fake-behind-the-scenes" movie/documentary, than this was. But it's not for lack of trying or finding some stars to play in your movie (or "names"). Most of them only appear for a brief segment of course.

The thing that will make or break the film for you, is if you can laugh at the silly scenario or not. I wanted to, but I just couldn't. Dax Sheppard seems like a cool guy (on late night/TV shows where he appears), but that doesn't change the fact, that for all his effort, he just can't pull this off.

A really superb (spoof?) making of a star is "Exit through the gift shop". Watch this and see how this sort of movies should be done and you'll understand

Could have been amazing.

[DirkesDiggler · 6/10 · 29 October 2010]

I have never disliked Dax Shepherd. His work on Punk'd was funny for what it was, he was great in "Idiocracy" and, from my limited exposure to him on that set, he is a damned nice guy. He has made some bad movies, that isn't in question, but when the checks start being written who among us is really gonna say no? So, knowing that Dax can be quite funny, and reading the synopsis of this film I had decent hopes. This is a mockumentary about Dax trying to launch himself as a martial arts movie star, even though he has no training. We follow him and his producer friend around as they try to get studio interest, attach stars, and get the thing made.

The problem is that it isn't that funny. It's funny, but just not very. The problem with making a movie like this is that you have to make it look real while still maintaining comic timing. These two things don't work together easily. This movie is full of overlong scenes, timing that is just slow enough to flatten jokes, and silences that go on too long. These things are a part of this type of film and can work if they are turned into comic beats of their own (look at the work of Chris Guest for how to do this). Sadly they aren't here.

What we are left with, instead, is a somewhat funny movie that could have been a VERY funny movie. Dax does have ability, he just needs to take the time to develop it. I wasn't terribly disappointed, because there were some really great moments, fantastic cameos, and truly funny performances, but they aren't enough to get past the flat timing and lifeless direction.

As for "Brother's Justice", justice was decently served.

[joelnova93 · 6/10 · 11 August 2011]

Without professional training or proper structure for pitching a film, Dax Shepard goes out on a whim to raise his brain child, "Brother's Justice", a Martial-Arts film starring himself, and abandons his career in comedy to dedicate himself to it's production full-time. Surprisingly, Dax recruits long time friend Nate Tuck as his producer and they embark on a quest for funding, a cast, and advertisement in hopes of bringing "Brother's Justice" to the big screen. Dax has such high hopes for the film, he even hires David Palmer, who is also the director of the actual movie, to film its progress as a documentary.

Now to be clear, this film is a mockumentary about Dax Shepard making a movie, if you were confused.

The Dax portrayed in the movie, struggling to bring his magnum opus to a theater near you, seemed like he also struggled to bring comedy in the film in some areas. Surely there were hilarious moments in the film, as you would expect, but other times Dax was trying too hard to be funny, and even though it is a mockumentary, it seemed a little too dumb at times. However, I did enjoy it very much. The movie was fresh the whole way through, and was pleasantly entertaining and original. Shepard did not slack off in light of the resources available to do the film, but I still feel it had eminent potential to be a gigantic success if a few extra hands were involved in the writing process. Although it wasn't as powerful as prejudged, it wouldn't hurt to take the blindfold off "Brother's Justice" and have a pretty good laugh.

Saw it. Love it.

[kaliboom · 9/10 · 10 November 2010]

I saw Brother's Justice at the Paramount theater for the Austin Film Festival and loved it.

The film, shot documentary style, follows Dax Shepard as he tries to make the leap from being a comedic actor to becoming an international martial arts action star a'la Chuck Norris. It's an 80 minute, deliciously awkward leap for our delusional hero. As he pitches his idea for his break-out film BROTHER'S JUSTICE to the industry types that surround him, he systematically gets knocked down by his agent, his lawyer, and his A-list connections (very funny cameos by Ashton Kutcher and Jon Favreau).

But Dax is a weirdly likable, egomaniacal machine that won't be stopped. With the help of his "stand by your man" producer, Nate Tuck and his unlikely co-star for BROTHER'S JUSTICE, an equally delusional Tom Arnold, we watch Dax go to extreme lengths to make his action star rise. Public appearances go badly...really badly, ribs are cracked, bromances are broken.

There are some guffaw-inducing cameos by Bradley Cooper and one of my all time favorite scene-stealers, David Koechner, and Tom Arnold hasn't been this funny or neurotic since True Lies.

Overall it feels like the kind of movie that will get funnier with multiple viewings. There are so many quotable one-liners and I can see it having a cult following over time. I really hope it gets a theatrical release.

See it if you like: a) funny b) weird c) junk jiggling close-ups in speeding European hot rods d) funny, weird, junk jiggling close-ups in speeding European hot rods

not what i expected

[random4ever · 13 July 2011]

this film threw me a curve ball, i had no idea what to expect when i watched this. it has some familiar names and it was sorta interesting. its more like a documentary type of film with the 3rd party sorta thing. its clearly low budget and it was not the worst thing to watch yet i know you can see something else that might not be a big wast of your time like this film is. you most likely only herd of this film if you keep an eye out for new DVD's coming out and thats how i found it. i had a few laughs here and there and don't expect much from this and you will be OK knowing that its a wast of time. watch only when your bored and given up hope.

Brother's Justice Review

[Dfschohr-532-549658 · 8/10 · 17 November 2013]

The mocumentary film genre started to blossom in the 1980's with Christopher Guest's This is Spinal Tap. Which is one of my favorite comedies. Then after about 1985 mocumentaries died off. Until, Sacha Baron Cohen started the genre back up, with his successful hit Borat. Now comes Dax Shepard's attempt in the mocumentary world with Brother's Justices.

Brother's Justice is the mocumentary that follows Dax Shepard, who has left the comedy world, and is trying to make a martial arts movie, that he wrote. He starts pitching the script without giving any plot details, so everyone thinks he is crazy for trying to make this film. The mocumentary is filled with great celebrity cameos from Jon Favreau, Tom Arnold, Bradley Cooper, David Koechner, Michael Rosenbaum, and Ashton Kutcher.

I found this mocumentary to be extremely funny. Most of it was shot in 2006, and then progresses throughout the years. This is along the lines of I'm Still Here the mocumentary, that Casey Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix created a year back. It follows an actor who gives up what he is known for to reinvent himself in another way. Brother's Justice is more light- hearted funny, than I'm Still Here is, but is absolutely ridiculous, and insanely hilarious. This is not a film in theaters. It is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival, or is playing on Time Warner Cable's On Demand. I give Brother's Justice an 8 out of 10.

I actually thought it was quite hilarious

[wamesy024 · 9/10 · 28 May 2013]

I thought it was funny the whole way through,it had many super memorable moments of hilarity. It stuck well to its genre of mockumentary, by being at least close to believable almost the whole time with some pretty far-fetched moments. I love the all star cast,amazing to see so many funny people in one movie working so well together. Dax Shepard's brand of comedy is unique and top notch. It seems that much thought, love, and effort was put into this movie. Its an offbeat comedy with a kind of awkward situational feel, so it may not be everyone's cup of tea but I loved it. I hope to see more movies with this humor, wit, and direction from Dax in the future.