The Brother From Another Planet (1984)

The Brother is Funny

I must say that this movie is one of my all time classics. It is a social commentary on race relations. It is a science fiction movie. It is a comedy. I loved the fact that the Brother sleeps with Dee Dee Bridgewater without ever saying a word. Let that be a lesson to guys who stumble over their tounges trying to come up with a come on line. Just be real and sincere and you may be surprised. Joe Morton is great. His acting was was not over the top. It was inspired on the part of John Sayles to have the Brother land in New York. This could have been a twilight zone episode. It had all the ingredients. A man who could not speak but had special powers living among humans. Get the movie you will enjoy it. April 22, 2007

Morton is Magnificent, Brother Endures Time

If you appreciate fine acting, in particular, the artistry of silent acting, you will want to watch Joe Morton over and over again in this low-budget classic from John Sayles. Part Chaplin, part Keaton, even part Harpo, Morton is simply magnificent. His gestures and movements, his body language and facial expressions encompass a huge physical vocabulary from frightened innocence to gleeful joy, from tired resignation to bold determinism. In a heroic dash up and down Harlem, Morton's character pulls the audience along on a sometimes comic, sometimes gritty extraterrestrial flight from intergalactic cops.

The Brother from Another Planet, Sayles's funky sci-fi, grand metaphor of sanctuary and immigration, immortalizes Morton as a great silent star. Probably best known for his supporting role in Terminator 2 as the self-sacrificing scientist, he ironically enough got his start in the 1968 Broadway production of Hair and later earned a Tony Best Actor nomination for his performance in a musical version of A Raisin in the Sun. BTW, the first music you hear in Brother is a clip of rap that Morton's character "hears" from the graffiti-covered walls on a deserted back street. (Yes, he is able to pick up "lost" voices from walls and chairs and public spaces.) Watch the credits at the end and you will discover that the rapper is Morton himself!

Of course there is more to Brother than Joe Morton's sterling performance. Endless metaphors of racial inequality, issues of otherness, bureaucracy, drug trafficking, alienation, slavery, and the funny sadness of people constantly wrapped up in themselves resound throughout the film. Not as rough as a Sun Ra flick, but certainly as genuine and homey and wise, Brother endures time and looks just as current as when it was made in 1984.

July 21, 2006

Original and wonderfully fun to watch

If you enjoy quirky and dark humor, this is a delightful and thoughtful film. My wife and I are very happy to own this film. July 9, 2006

Very good movie; lousy DVD

The story of a man on the lam, intergalactically, is compelling, primarily because of Joe Morton who says not a word in the entire movie. John Sayles' direction is unobtrusive but effective. One of my favorite lighter moments is the morning after a romantic night when the woman tells Brother that he's a terrific lover but he has to do something with those toenails (the only outwardly difference of Brother is his three toed feet with claws). [...] "Brother" deserves more. September 10, 2005

Two words-SEE IT!

This is a very well done story whose low budget does NOT get in the way (in fact, it adds to the charm). The story about a Black extraterrestrial who winds up in Harlem and then...well, you'll find out. For non-sci-fi fans and those used to the typical action films or crude ghetto comedies featuring black casts, this film may take some getting used to, as it is sparse on dialogue. After viewing it once, I recommend watching it again and with John Sayles' excellent commentary.

Overall, once you get it, it's great. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt like a "fish out of water" and longed to be understood and become a part of a community (in this case, Harlem, one of the world's most famous communities, becomes a metaphor). Of course there is more to the film's message that that, but see the film, find out, and enjoy. March 23, 2005

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