Though it's well-cast and convincingly captures the look and feel of its era, the film loses steam as Accio's story meanders to a predictable conclusion.
Comment
05/02/08
My Brother Is An Only Child (2006)
86
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:58
Fresh:50
Rotten:8
Average Rating:7/10
Consensus: Luchetti takes advantage of the storyline's historical context without sacrificing his cast's fine performances or the script's light wit.
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: Already a smash in its native Italy, MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD, which was presented at this year’s Cannes and Toronto film festivals, reunites director Luchetti with longtime collaborators Sandro... [More]
Starring: Angela Finocchiaro, Luca Zingaretti, Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio
Director: Daniele Luchetti
Reviews for My Brother Is An Only Child
Director Daniele Luchetti's strategy is to personify the long-standing divisions of his homeland in a pair of siblings, but make the characters so vital that we don't feel we're being browbeaten with political allegory.
04/25/08
This smart, engaging film shows how much political convictions are often rooted in the inchoate passions and early disappointments of youth.
04/25/08
In a sense, the movie is about Accio's appreciation of the practical limits of ideology and the practical uses of rebellion, and it's a poignant realization.
04/25/08
The rough-and-tumble tone is bitterly entertaining but in the end doesn't contribute to a convincing historical portrait, and a pileup of half-baked resolutions spoils the buzz.
04/25/08
Tells a familiar story in a familiar way with conviction and no small amount of talent on both sides of the camera, though it's hardly essential.
04/17/08
One hardly needs to have grown up Italian in the '60s to feel a pang of nostalgia watching My Brother Is an Only Child, Daniele Luchetti's tale of small-town brothers.
04/16/08
The film's biggest failure isn't Accio's constant contentiousness, nor the story's dense political center. Rather, it's the script's tendency to wander.
04/10/08
Although the movie never quite dispels the sense of being dated (it could have been made anytime in the past 40 years), it's a memorable, often moving timepiece.
04/10/08
Top CriticThe fey illogic in the title of My Brother is an Only Child hints at the style of this funny-sad film, which flips from dark to light moods and back with suave, unpredictable dexterity.
04/10/08
It's vibrantly shot throughout, with the handheld camerawork well suited to conveying Accio's impulsive behaviour.
04/08/08
manages to evoke, but never trivialise, the mad, internecine conflicts of recent Italian political history
04/06/08
Thanks to the captivating performances, this is well worth checking out.
04/06/08
Top CriticIf some of this sounds like stereotypical Italian behavior, and if in fact My Brother Is an Only Child has a weakness for abrupt and melodramatic plot devices, it has other virtues that make it truly satisfying.
04/04/08
Top CriticYep, it's your typical shouty Italian movie, though this time presented with sharp humor and an effortless cinematic verity by director Daniele Luchetti.
04/04/08
Luchetti directs with a light touch that recalls the Italian comedies that were popular -- in the U.S. as well as Europe -- during the period it portrays.
04/03/08
Engaging, sharply directed drama with a strong script and superb performances, though you occasionally feel you're missing out on a deeper meaning.
04/03/08
works best as an Italian dramedy with its history used as window dressing and any original thought kept happily to itself.
03/28/08
My Brother Is an Only Child is a politically charged family drama set in Italy in the 1960s and 1970s -- think The Best of Youth (director Daniele Luchetti collaborated with that epic film's writers) at a more butt-friendly running time.
03/28/08
My Brother Is an Only Child is a lively minor addendum to the grand tradition of Italian fraternal cinema.
03/28/08
Top CriticLatest News for My Brother Is An Only Child
March 25, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review 
More...
July 24, 2007:
Mio fratelle e figlio unico (My Brother is an Only Child) - preview & trailer
More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones
Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.
Animated Oscar?
Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs
We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.
Win Inglourious Basterds DVDs
We're giving away five copies of Tarantino's hit, with thanks to Universal. That's a bingo.
IGN RSS Feeds