7 Chinese Brothers, written and directed
by Bob Byington follows an unambitious man named Larry (Schwartzman) for a
short period of time in his uninspiring life. He gets fired from his job as a bartender after the owners
film him skimming the liquor, and even after they allow him to swipe a bottle
of tequila on the way out, he still resentfully keys one of their cars. We see him take whatever he sees that
he wants (candy outside a resident’s door at a senior living center) with
impunity. He visits his
grandmother (Dukasis), his only living relative, from time to time, and she
encourages him to make something of himself—although her suggestions are not
especially helpful—but he is apparently happy doing whatever job he can
get. He is fortunate in being
hired at a car wash soon after the bar.
Some
viewers will love to see Larry’s dog, an uncanny mirror of him—sleeping,
snoring, snorting, and basically passive and lethargic. The dog is highlighted in a number of
scenes. Larry has made one friend
at his grandmother’s center, Norwood (Tunde Adebimpe), who is also his drug
dealer and someone who pretends to be a doctor. Other than these three, Larry has no relationships. He makes a half-hearted effort to date
a woman, but devalues her in comparison with the one his friend Norwood has
ended up with, Larry’s current boss.
There
is really not much that happens in this film, except one turn of events, which
is not all that surprising, and it is never clear how the title relates to the
story. I’m sure there are people
who admire a “beat” lifestyle away from the “capitalist” world, and I think
those might be the only ones who will appreciate this film.
Schwartzman
and Dukakis play roles similar to those they have before, and they are
certainly good at what they do, but their talent cannot compensate for the
emptiness of the script.
You are likely to be bored by 7 Chinese Brothers—whatever that refers to.
Grade: F By
Donna R. Copeland
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