The Brothers Bloom

The lads who staged the Great Train Robbery had nothing on these guys; Bernie Madoff's international wheelings and dealings pale in comparison. THE BROTHERS BLOOM is a rollicking farce, a lavish, high-octane caper film and road movie. But what roads! From Athens to Prague, Mexico to Saint Petersburg, the brothers' latest and greatest con will also be their most spectacular. The Bloom brothers are Stephen and Bloom (Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody), con men extraordinaire who began as Dickensian orphans with nothing but their wits and each other. Mentored in craftiness as mere boys by a Fagin figure (Maximilian Schell), they have long since perfected their art. Stephen cooks up intricate larcenous scenarios and Bloom is the enactor. Tired of the racket, the more sensitive Bloom wants to call it quits, and Stephen promises this will be their final act. In need of a mark to bankroll their operation, the boys focus on Penelope (Rachel Weisz), a quirky heiress based in exotic New Jersey. Enthralled by the thought of some action, she agrees to give them money, but only if they take her along on the job. When Penelope and Bloom become more than just co-conspirators, the plot begins to thicken. – B.B.