The Brothers Bloom

If The Brothers Bloom came out in 2014, wed probably be looking at Wes Anderson like success for the film, but way back in 2008, a lot fewer people were familiar with director Rian Johnson. Sure, there were devoted fans of his neo noir Brick, but it wasnt until the runaway success of 2012s Looper that he was put on the map as an ascendant Hollywood director. This earlier tale of con men brothers was a great star vehicle for Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo in particular, whose performance then hinted at the comic potential he would later display as Bruce Banner in The Avengers. Rachel Weisz is especially good as the bizarre love interest who gets brought along on a continent spanning adventure. The complicated plot is a little wonky, but the romance is sweetly endearing and Johnson gives it a fun, globe trotting panache.