‘Brothers’ Review: Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin Elevate a Crime Comedy With an Identity Crisis

If you’re anything like me, when you saw the title for Max Barbakow’s new comedy “Brothers,” you thought, “Finally! A movie about brothers!” 

I kid, I kid. But it’s not like there’s ever been any shortage of films about fraternal love and/or hatred: “Step Brothers,” “The Blues Brothers,” “The Sisters Brothers,” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “East of Eden,” “Fred Claus.” You know, the giants. Max Barbakow’s first feature, the hilarious “Palm Springs,” injected new vitality into the rom-com genre and the time loop drama at the same time. Could he also make a formulaic buddy comedy about two criminal siblings on a road trip seem special?

The answer is … a little, but let’s not go nuts.