The Sisters Brothers review: Stellar performances, breathtaking landscapes drive this gloomy story about outlaws, gold rush

Charlie and Eli Sisters (Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly) on horseback in front of a beautiful frontier landscape.

The Sisters Brothers (R)

Directed by Jacques Audiard

Starring John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Riz Ahmed, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Root, Allison Tolman, Rutger Hauer, Carol Kane

Caution: Some spoilers ahead!

Set in the 1850s, in mostly Oregon and California, this story doesn't have the same feel as most Westerns. While other films about outlaws make gunfights and robbery the main focus, The Sisters Brothers centers around gold prospecting which was a booming enterprise in those days.

Eli (Reilly) and Charlie (Phoenix) Sisters are a pair of outlaws tasked with  killing Hermann Warm (Ahmed), a gold prospector who stole from the Commodore (Hauer) their boss. John Morris (Gyllenhaal), a scout in the Commodore's employ, is to track down Warm and hold him until he meets up with the Sisters. That's the basic plot of the film though the main enjoyment you'll get watching this movie are the vast, gorgeous landscape shots of the West and the controlled, nuanced performances of the four principal cast members.

Hermann Warm and John Morris

Along with the obvious themes of family loyalty and frontier justice is the theme of innovation. We get to witness Eli purchase and start to use a toothbrush and toothpaste. And we also get to witness his discovery of a flushable toilet in bustling San Francisco. Though most importantly, we learn about Warm's formula which makes finding gold much easier. This specific innovation turns foes into partners and eventually all four men are working together to collect gold. The film is ultimately leading up to the moment when we get to see the formula at work. It is an especially cool scene to witness on the big screen. While that is something to look forward to, the overall story has a dark tone and ending.

Eli is the more level-headed of the Sisters brothers and states he is in the outlaw game with his brother mainly to protect him since Charlie is known to make a lot of enemies. Charlie is aggressive and more-or-less made for the outlaw world. When Eli confesses that he wants to leave the criminal life, Charlie gets angry.

Eli and Charlie Sisters

Reilly and Phoenix are incredibly reliable performers these days and they are perfectly chosen to fill these roles. It's always a pleasure watching Reilly who fits the "just a normal guy" role so well he plays it often. In this case, even a normal guy who happens to be an outlaw. And Phoenix is one of my favorite actors because he always seems to be consumed by the character he portrays.

Gyllenhaal is another steady performer who I've been a fan of for years. And Riz Ahmed of Rogue One fame actually stands out quite well amongst the other three veteran stars. We are already seeing more of him and I expect that will continue for years to come.

This is definitely not a big story, but is a unique one especially for the Western genre. I wouldn't call it a "can't miss," but I would say it's worth watching for the performances alone.

Hermann Warm (Riz Ahmed) and John Morris (Jake Gyllenhaal) joining forces with the Sisters brothers.