BROTHER’S SHADOW

US, 2006, 91 minutes, Colour.
Scott:Cohen, Susan Floyd, Judd Hirsch, Elliott Korte, Ato Essandoh, James Murtagh.
Directed by Todd S. Yellin.

This is a film about ordinary people, a slice of life, people in difficulties, people with hopes, people with disappointments.

The central character is Jake in the audience first meets on parole in Alaska, sent back after 10 years to his native Brooklyn, under strict parole supervision. The father of the title is revealed to have just died.

Jake, Scott Cohen, has always been badly compared to his older brother, Mike, whom he physically resembles. Their father, Judd Hirsch, has always favoured the older brother and condemned the younger, which led to the younger brother setting their furniture factory on fire and being sentenced to prison. In the meantime, Emily, and Jake might’ve married, has married his older brother and had a son.

The film focuses on the difficulties of Jake returning, wanting to do furniture job but his father sabotaging his efforts, continually reporting to the parole officer who is very strict and judgemental. Jake has a talent for making furniture, a book of designs, and begins to work in the family factory which Emily intends to sell, much to the disappointment of the father. The son initially begins to warm to his uncle but ultimately becomes the course cause of the family collapse.

It is interesting to note the Jewish background of the family, the father’s attendance at the synagogue, Jewish rituals in the workplace.

The performances are strong and will involve the audience in the characters as well is their difficulties – and, unexpectedly, the film ends not with everything tied up happily but rather more open-endedly.

1. Brooklyn slice of life? A portrait of ordinary people, struggles, clashes, relationships, hopes and achievement?

2. The title, the focus on Jake, the background story, comparison with his brother, the attitude of his father, Emily and her marrying Mike, the furniture business, Jake and his setting fire to the workshop? The comparisons?

3. Jake, in prison, parole, working with the fish in Alaska? His temper? Returned to Brooklyn? His parole officer and his strictness?

4. Brooklyn, homes and streets, the furniture workshop? Synagogue? The Jewish background and tone? The musical score?

5. Jake, his age, 10 years absent, no communication with his family? His looking for jobs? his father intervening?

6. Meeting Emily, memories of the past? Her marrying Mike, bringing up Adam? Her wanting to sell the business?

7. Jake, encountering Adam, Adam and his father, his grandfather, resentments? His interest in the furniture business? Jake, the tables, his skills, his book of designs? His going to work? His father’s negative reaction? Emily and her letting him work?

8. The visit from the buyer, mistaking the two brothers, the comments about how similar they were, the large order, the short time frame, Jake and his skills, devoting himself to the work, Adam helping, the previous helpers, the discussions, gathering them together, the hard work? Everyone tired? The completion of the task, effective, the possibilities of more orders?

9. Jake not telling the truth about himself, the discussions with the parole officer, strictness, having to move out of his accommodation, sleeping in the street, the gang attacking him, Emily taking him in? The relationship? Adam and his suspicions and resentment?

10. Adam, setting the workshop on fire, Jake trying to put it out, Adam running away? Jake drinking? The attitude of the parole officer?

11. The religious themes, going to the synagogue, the Jewish rituals in the workshop, the Bible?

12. The father, his relationship with the woman, Jake and his taunts about her, memories of his mother, his father’s infidelity, his father strictness, praising Mike, rejecting Jake?
Their playing the game with the coins? The father mellowing, beginning to appreciate Jake?

13. The ending, not the happy ending with everything tied up, Jake serving further time after his appearance in court, the audience wondering as the film ended about the future?