Jason Clarke and Annabeth Gish in "Brotherhood"
courtesy of SHOWTIME
"Brotherhood" (SHOWTIME)

On Sunday, July 10, SHOWTIME will premiere the mini-series "Brotherhood." Not since the days of "Rich Man, Poor Man" has there been such an involving saga of two brothers at direct odds with each other. Jason Clarke, Jason Isaacs and Annabeth Gish star in this eleven-part tale of two men, one a politician and one a gangster.

Tommy Caffee (Clarke) is king of "The Hill", a section of Providence, Rhode Island for which he is the elected representative. He lives with his wife Eileen (Gish) and their three daughters in this district. His mother Rose (Fionnula Flanagan) lives a few doors down from him.

Tommy has one brother, Michael (Isaacs) who has been gone from the city for five years. But just as suddenly as he left, he suddenly reappears. This can only mean problems for Tommy as Michael has not changed his old crime driven ways. 

Tommy loves his brother, but hates his ways. His mother keeps telling him that family is everything but he knows Michael can only hinder his plans for political power. Michael is the albatross around Tommy's political neck.

Tommy's wife Eileen has problems of her own. She can not adjust to being a politician's wife and seeks outlets for her emotions in an affair as well as drug use. This is her secret life and one that eventually will jeopardize her place in Tommy's life.

Isaacs has been seen in numerous movies but made his biggest impact as the villain in Mel Gibson's "The Patriot." He also is villainous in the "Harry Potter" movies where he plays Lucius Malfoy. He is very good in his role of Michael in this mini-series, giving just the right blend of evil and family loyalty.

Clarke is even better as Tommy. Whenever he is on screen he is the one the audience is focused on. His roman nose, his piercing eyes, his intensity all make this the spellbinding performance in the show. If enough people tune into this series, Clarke will emerge a major star. If it were on a major network this would be a forgone conclusion.

Gish also makes herself known with her role of Eileen. She adds a sadness and a vulnerability to her performance that makes the audience root for Eileen to find her way. Eileen should not be as sympathetic as she is but Gish makes her so due to her skills as an actress. Gish has been acting since she was thirteen but this role finally makes her a star.

Ethan Embry turns in a solid performance as Declan, a friend of the Caffee family but also a member of the police force looking into Michael's activities. Flanagan is good, as always, as the family matriarch. Stivi Pakoski makes an impression as Tommy's henchman Pete, and Kevin Chapman is capably menacing as the local crime king.

"Brotherhood" is a profane and violent show that also has nudity and drug use included in its scenes of life. The four letter words fly with ease and impact removing this from any "family viewing" plans. Still the plot and the performances make this one of the most enjoyable stories of crime and corruption since "The Godfather."

Eleven hours is a lot of time to invest in an entertainment program, especially in the summer, but "Brotherhood" is so good and so fascinating it should become appointment television for those seeking something special to watch.

"Brotherhood" premieres July 9 at 10PM on SHOWTIME. Mark it down and watch it and every episode that follows. This is television at its most adult and its most entertaining.

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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