Brothers of the Head DVD Review

By Jenna Bensoussan

Rated: NR
Starring: Harry Treadaway, Luke Treadaway, Tom Bower
Directed by: Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe

SYNOPSIS

A tangled tale, written by Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), Brothers of the Head will definitely enlighten its audience about the entertainment industry and the inevitable exploitation that occurs with regards to its cash cows.

Tom and Barry Howe (Harry and Luke Treadaway) are conjoined twins that have lived a life void of much interaction with the "real" world. Spotted by a British entertainment mogul, Tom and Barry are signed into the world of the 70s' British Punk-Rock scene.

When these two began their rock-n-roll journey they had never played an instrument or sung a tune... all that changes once their manager beats the music discipline into them - or Barry anyway. Soon they learn the craft and exceed all expectations.

The entire film is constructed like a documentary, but it is completely fictional. The music playing throughout the production is authentic from the era. From beginning to end we see a transformation of the main characters Tom and Barry. These characters travel down a road that starts with an innocence and perceived bliss, along to a rocky path riddled with rock-n-roll, drugs, sex, homo-eroticism and ultimately, self destruction.

DVD FEATURES

Deleted Scenes with uncut, never-before-seen footage.

CRITIQUE

Brothers of the Head is an amazing mockumentarial creation. Harry and Luke Treadaway do an Oscar-worthy performance, bringing to life their characters' dynamics throughout the entire production. Yes, rock-n-roll movies have been done before, but this one is unique in its own right.

The biggest annoyance is the dream sequences. They are more or less thrown into the storyline and have no apparent significance to the plot. Aside from these scenes, the film is quite engaging after it really gets going. It takes a little while for the motors to get moving in the very beginning; however, once it does it quickly spirals downwards.

This is a great docu-drama, and something you don't want to miss out on if you like the 70s British Punk-Rock Era. It peers into a very intense, sad and eye-opening window of the dark side of the entertainment world. Rock & Roll is less a "freak show" as suggested by this film's tagline, and more an exploited web of famed empitness.