“The Brothers Bloom,” Adrien Brody open AFI Dallas Film Festival
Adrien Brody at the premiere of “Cadillac Records” last winter. (Associated Press photo)
DALLAS – The 2009 AFI Dallas International Film Festival opened tonight with the con men caper “The Brothers Bloom,” and stars Adrien Brody and Rinko Kikuchi and writer-director Rian Johnson were on hand to show off the film. Johnson described it as a fairy tale about con men as well as a comedy.
Before the film, which packed two houses at the AMC Northpark 15, American Film Institute President and CEO Bob Gazzale presented Brody with the AFI Dallas Star Award. Gazzale praised Brody as an actor who takes his craft seriously and whose silences speak volumes in an age when movie stars often are featured in the gossip magazines talking about their “abs or favorite gelato flavor.”
After the screening, Brody, Johnson and Kikuchi participated in a 15- to 20-minute Q&A about the project. From the questions, it was clear that Kikuchi won the audience’s heart as Bang Bang, the virtually silent sidekick to the titular brothers. The Japanese actress doesn’t speak much English but talked happily about the experience of making “The Brothers Bloom.” She flew into the festival from Hong Kong, and it was her first time to see Brody and Johnson since filming wrapped.
The movie opens in May, and I can’t give you my review until the opening date. But I will tell you I loved “The Brothers Bloom” and can’t wait to see it again.
I just got back to the W Dallas-Victory hotel from the festival’s opening gala on the grounds of Northpark shopping center. Brody and Kikuchi could barely make it to the red carpet leading to the soiree because they were so busy graciously posing for pictures and signing autographs. They finally took a break from posing and signing but still mingled with the crowd at the party, chatting with patrons, filmmakers and other attendees.
I’ll be bringing you more from ”The Brothers Bloom” Q&A, as well as my take on the film, closer to the opening date.
And look for more updates from the AFI festival and Dallas over the next few days.
-BAM
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