My Brother the Devil (2012) User Reviews

Great acting performance. Too clean to be "real"

[MdlndeHond · 6/10 · 22 March 2013]

MBTD has a great cast, not a single complaint about it. The young actors are truly phenomenal. The story of two brothers in Gangland London doesn't ring that right to me. This is not gangland London. What the producer wants to show is the under layer of society where kids too mature for their age get in the lowest ranks in the hierarchy of drug dealers and their rivalry to make it big or make it out. But it's too clean, too polished and too polite.

El Hosaini goes methodically by a list of what are considered controversial topics just enough to charm but not offend the audience. Events are nicely sown together to make festival goers feel that this movie is "deep". Played out in sleek designed apartments and clean street scape instead of rough neighbourhoods governments neglect and fail to maintain . The director doesn't really understand the dynamics although apparently she spend 5 years doing research for the script. It looks like she spend a lot of time reading about it. The world she tried to capture is far more gritty than this. It's a nice watch but in no way La Haine where you see desolation, despair and boredom with a life that will have nothing else to offer. If I could I would rate this 8 for the cast and 5 for the script.

Brilliant

[Seamus06 · 8/10 · 27 January 2012]

Seen this film at Sundance and was absolutely amazed by the acting in it. This film is so authentic, I loved that some of the cast are people from the streets of London. Listening to the director even prior to the screening talk about being excited screening in front of "real" people instead of the usual Sundance industry crowd was refreshing. Can't wait for some of her other stuff. The film feature some amazing cinematography. The scene with the younger brother on the tree with use of sunlight is beautiful.

See this film and watch out for everyone involved.

P.S. I cannot believe Fady Elsayed who played the younger brother hasn't acted before. That guys gonna be a star!

Emotionally Complex and Powerfully Acted

[Simon_Says_Movies · 8/10 · 2 April 2013]

Delivering an alternately striking and ominous vision of gangland London, My Brother the Devil, the directorial debut from British- Egyptian director Sally El Hosaini, is an excellent film. Abstaining from all-encompassing grimness and moroseness in favour of character- driven showcases of potency, it's rewarding, gripping and the best film of this young year.

The story is made up of familiar parts – ones we've seen in other gang- centric entities from HBO's The Wire to City of God – but El Hosaini's vision is one of complexity, nuance and moreover is a film that approaches those tropes with distinction. For most audiences My Brother the Devil will provide a unique fusion of cultures. The intermittently bleak aesthetic of London meets the violent, drug-peddling gangs of the projects and more specifically the Arab ethnicities caught in the mix.

At the center of these struggles are two brothers, Rashid (James Floyd) who goes simply by Rash and Mo (first time actor Fady Elsayed). 19-year- old Rash runs with the gang known as DMG (drugs-money-guns) using it chiefly as a means to support his poor family, but for the shy Mo his brother's involvement and standing makes him an idol and ultimately a beacon towards a more prosperous future. Rash, however, wants his brother as far away from the life as possible and when a violent incident occurs for which be blames himself, he looks to re-examine his life in more ways than one – a decision that seeks to drive a wedge between the siblings.

There is a further level of complexity to My Brother the Devil that I won't reveal here but it serves both to expertly deepen the character of Rash and examine the nature of his gang affiliates in a fascinating way. These characters swirl in a sea of split-second decisions, racism and unfounded hate and when a secret is uncovered it makes perfect sense the verdicts that are quickly reached. I don't mean that in a way that the outcome is obvious but rather it's something that is consummately organic and, ultimately, harrowing for the characters involved.

There are many stars in My Brother the Devil and leading them all is El Hosaini, whose grasp on riveting filmmaking, despite her relative amateur status, is nothing short of astounding. The crisp, clean camera-work gives the world of this film an identity of its own and likewise when she opts to employ hand-held shots and angled perspectives the result is equally arresting. The violence on display is restrained in its scale and frequency but when presented is some of the more disturbing bloodshed you're ever likely to see. In fact, the scenes where brutality is avoided prove to be just as intense as their gruesome counterparts.

Also nothing short of remarkable are the two leads, particularly the more experienced James Floyd who, while powerfully written by El Hosaini, brings to life the character of Rash and the struggles he faces with the world around him and internally as well. It's truthfully award- worthy stuff. Newcomer Fady Elsayed is also wonderful playing the weaker of the brothers with vulnerability and reserve but never allowing his character to descend into the realm of snivelling coward. His decisions, while angering at times, feel natural given the situation and his character's age and lead the way for a satisfying, if racking, catharsis for those concerned.

The faults to be found in My Brother the Devil are scattered and infrequent and thankfully do little to undermine the greater vision on display. The pace hits a bit of an awkward stride leading up to the climax but the conclusion is too perfect to dwell on it. There is also an underdeveloped subplot between Mo and a new girl who moves into his complex. Lastly, there could have been more screen time delegated to further shaping the character of Sayyid (Saïd Taghmaoui) and his past ties to gang life and his growing connection and impact on Rash.

But as a greater entity the film is a triumph of independent filmmaking and pegs El Hosaini as a talent to watch with avid anticipation. A coming-of-age journey with bold, memorable characters and vision and style to spare, My Brother the Devil is periodically slick, always captivating and authentic in ways uncommon to most explorations of violence and loyalty.

An urban tale featuring two Egyptian brothers trying to figure out how to survive, and what identity to assume.

[Amari-Sali · 7/10 · 13 October 2013]

My Brother The Devil may not have any recognizable names to draw you in, but the trailer gives you a certain amount of intrigue. We see young love, violence, homosexuality and family. All together, the trailer sets you up and the movie knocks you out. Now, let's see if that is supposed to mean something positive or negative shall we?

Our leads for this film are Rashid (played by James Floyd), the older brother part of a gang who is masking homosexual urges; his younger brother Mo (played by Fady Elsayed) who is a smart young man who likes to follow his brother like a puppy; Repo (played by Aymen Handouchi) who is one of the visible leaders of Rashid's gang; and then you have Sayyid (played by Said Taghmaoui) who starts off as the man to help Rashid get out the drug business, but ends up also being the man who brings Rashid one step closer to coming out.

Which leads to me talking about the story. Most of the tale takes place around British project buildings as we establish the difficult life of immigrants to the UK who give birth to children who, in the movie anyway, have difficulty going straight and end up finding themselves giving into the easy money made dealing drugs. Enter Rashid and Mo. Rashid, seemingly, has been out of school for a while and has been making a living dealing drugs to help his Egyptian family which includes his brother Mo, mother, and father. For some time, it seems Rashid, or Raj, is very comfortable in his life. He has a beautiful girlfriend named Vanessa (played by Elarica Gallacher), a mate he seems rather close to named Izzi (played by Anthony Welsh) and Mo is doing well in school. Then, after Mo gets robbed by a rival gang and the beef between them and Rashid's crew leads to casualties, Rashid looks to get out and he finds legit work through Sayyid and, from there, as Rashid looks to leave the game, Mo tries to take his place. Thus leading to Mo trying to walk his brother's path, all the while his brother walking a road he has only veered onto when he let himself go.

Now, something I like about this movie is the fact it feels like when you watch it, you are watching multiple episodes of a series at one time. For, with it nearly being two hours, it can be a bit longer than I usually like, but it has decent enough pacing to keep you attentive. Also, I must note how good the performances are in the film. Mind you, I wouldn't say these are BAFTA worthy performances which upset you or make you cry, but everyone feels like they were written to be authentic and the actors assume their roles really well.

But, with that said, I must admit there is a strong need for hard coded subtitles with this film. Be it because I'm not from the UK/Britain and don't know much of their slang/ dialects, I did find it hard sometimes to really understand what the actors were saying. Also, as much as I loved how the movie felt like a show's first few episodes mashed together, at the same time it can leave you a bit weary since it is rare for a film to be so long. Lastly, I must admit that I wanted to see and hear more about the cultures of the characters. It isn't often we see Egyptian Muslims, and I would have liked to learn more about their culture, how they may handle homosexuality, how a kid born in modern times handles a religion which is seen as conservative, and I would have like to see more out of the cast's cultures to. Be it the Nigerian character; Sayyid, who comes from France; and the many others which you can only assume because there is no definite cultures named. I feel, as good as the story way, there was still room to add more.

Overall: Rental

My Brother, The Devil may not be an urban masterpiece, but it does bring the type of intrigue which makes you wish the movie was just a pilot for a show. I say this since there is quite a large cast, each being part of some storyline not always fully developed, and at times it feels like we are only truly given a taste rather than a full course meal. Due to that, I would say this is a rental since it isn't so good you have to show people you know, but I do feel it is worth watching to kill some time.

Wow, wow, wow

[Otte1 · 7/10 · 14 April 2014]

There is a lot more to this movie than the title/synopsis tells.

Very well directed, but the consistent high acting from everyone especially the teenagers, is amazing. The character development(and changes) catches you off guard....in a good way.

It is advertised as two brothers on the streets of London, but it is really a coming-of-age story about how environment/people influence what we are and what we do. It is a slow-moving movie, so do not expect 'Gangs of New York' or some type of gangster action movie. This movie is for those that enjoy a good drama that you can remember after watching it.

Recommended those like good old fashion movie-making, without the CGI, high body count or overpriced actors who can't act.

Growing up or down

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 22 July 2014]

You could cynically call this another "drug" movie that plays out, while using the backdrop of a family. A family that has more than a few issues obviously. But you wouldn't be fair to the movie if you did that. You might not be in the mood for the movie or you might have seen a similar formula being used before, but the movie is more than decent.

You got two brothers (title is a bit of a give away), one deep inside the "business", the other one seeming to be too naive to be able to comprehend any of it. Still you can see that there is a lot of seduction (money, women, "fame") and it's difficult to resist. Or is it? Obviously things happen and evolve. While there is no nudity, sexuality plays a role, in case you were wondering.

It gave a insight on what life is like in the endz from a different prospective

[joyhussein · 7/10 · 3 November 2016]

My brother the devil is a thrilling drama. It captivates what life is like in the streets, what it is like to be a road man and the struggles that males face on the road. One of the unexpected struggles of the film was the fact that Rash is gay. This was very shocking as this type of homosexual culture is not usually expressed within films that involve gang culture as it is often frowned upon. Even within the film Rash's brother Mo is so disappointed to the fact that his brother is gay, he would prefer if his brother was a terrorist. This expresses how in society if you were to be gay it is not excepted. In addition to this their religion doesn't condemn you to be gay as they are Muslim it would be considered haram.

Beautiful, authentic and hard hitting

[rez-950-571403 · 9/10 · 8 February 2012]

This was a real highlight at Sundance, an incredible movie, has all the grittiness a street film should have, but with real heart. The story is familiar, but Sally El Hosaini's script keeps it fresh by introducing unexpected twists that keep you wanting to find out what's coming next. Without giving any of those twists away, this is basically a film about two brothers and how their relationship changes as the younger one who has always looked up to the elder grows disenchanted with him, while trying to define himself as a man (which he isn't quite yet). Setting that story in the midst of London gang life pushes the poignancy of the story with great effect. Beautiful cinematography by David Raedeker and the outstanding acting of James Floyd and Fady Elsayed make this a real treat.

My Brother The Devil

[Errington_92 · 14 June 2014]

My Brother The Devil can be described as an formulaic gritty, realistic crime drama seen in a multitude of films like Boyz In Da Hood, Kidulthood and La Haine to name a few. Yet it does offer a shocking twist and tense atmosphere underlining the characters' realities which were dramatically absorbing.

Until My Brother The Devil revealed its twist, it was a formulaic narrative. However there was no faulting its atmospheric direction. My Brother The Devil used still images of gang-life in its opening scene whilst firmly establishing differences between Rashid and Mo, Brothers and main protagonists. Visuals were primarily used as they are an emotive concept, actions speak louder than words. My Brother The Devil did well to establish atmosphere by placing characters (and consequently audiences) in violent situations. The actors' direction in specific scenes was fundamental towards this, not relying on dialogue only. The scenes are left to settle through each actors' instincts forcing audiences to absorb tension. Yet it is the shocking twist within My Brother The Devil whilst it felt questionable at first did fit into Rashid's and Mo's characterisation regarding gang-life's requirement of fierce masculinity. In this regard it was a bold move which intensified My Brother The Devil's atmosphere.

Despite the intriguing twist, My Brother The Devil's narrative style did feel cliché. As previously stated the narrative was formulaic to an extent where I was predicted what would follow. Yet the acting in specific scenes are able to absorb audiences into their world. Wherever it was Rashid or Mo having to square up to fierce opposition or experiencing violent situations, the actors involved never overly convey their situation. Thanks to this the actors created a realism shocking audiences into realising the harrowing environment these characters were part of. This directness of My Brother The Devil's realism makes it slightly superior over its clichéd flaws to make it an dramatically absorbing feature.

Undeniably raw, fresh urban drama

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 17 June 2013]

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Rashid (James Floyd) is caught up with street gangs in inner city London, and runs in to a feud with another rival gang when his younger brother Mo (Fady Elsayed) is robbed by them while running an errand for Rashid's crew. But when his best friend is killed in a retaliation attack instigated by Rashid, he is forced to try and come to terms with his life and turn it around, while facing up to his own inner demons. Meanwhile, young Mo is forced to face some harsh rites of passage choices of his own.

Just when it seemed like it had been a while, Sally El Hosani comes along with a new gritty British urban drama to shake the genre back up a bit. Little seen but critically hailed, it's lesser budget not holding it back at all, My Brother the Devil is an undeniably impressive but overlong and maybe even slightly over rated offering that is maybe guilty of over ambition in it's scope.

Basing it's story at the centre of a bustling immigrant community in the sprawling metropolis of London, the film lifts the rafters on what has probably become a pretty typical, archetypal landscape setting for many parts of the capital, or even the country as a whole. It opens a rough, unpredictable world with danger at every corner and the price of life disturbingly cheap. In this it manages what many other films of it's type have already done, and in an above average way, but it loses it's way in a sea of complex, challenging sub plots that seem to be aiming for higher gasp factor as it goes on. Somehow, the central narrative loses it's structure a bit, while the performances and writing remain spot on. Still, if all the cogs in the engine aren't working, someone'll notice.

This is an undeniably ambitious, well acted, daring, effectively shot, depressingly realistic and smartly written piece that doesn't deserve to have all those qualities ignored, but maybe got a little too above it's station and fell down from a spellbinding height. ***

Gritty, realistic...and overly familiar

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 4 February 2016]

MY BROTHER THE DEVIL has quite a lot of quality for a low budget, shot-on-the-streets type of British youth film. It tells the story of a couple of Arab kids growing up on the mean streets of Hackney, where they must intermingle with drug gangs and adult life in a bid to make something of their lives - or merely survive.

Unfortunately for me, I've seen all this sort of thing before in the likes of Noel Clarke's KIDULTHOOD and ADULTHOOD, plus the wave of films along the same line that have been made over the past decade, and MY BROTHER THE DEVIL doesn't really have much more to say on the subject, other than to make a point of how ridiculous, violent, and difficult it all is. Director Sally El Hosaini elicits some strong performances from her young, unknown cast members, and the film is certainly watchable from beginning to end. But it's too familiar and fatalistic to have much of an impact on this viewer.

Totally absorbing

[jimsmithnewyork-646-578370 · 10/10 · 30 March 2013]

James Floyd and Fady Elsayed rivet your attention as older and younger brothers, UK-born of Egyptian parents, who have hopes and, therefore, frustrations living in council-houses London. As with so many young, poor males in that milieu, the only immediate path to some kind of decent income is in the gang activities commonplace in their part of town.

And yet this movie avoids every clichéd turn of plot suggested by the familiar premises of the story. The drama is consistently fresh. The developments, though surprising, are invariably right. This movie will hold your attention and its characters your sympathy from the opening scene to the last blackout.

I'd also mention that a lot of the movie is in closeup so it helps that James Floyd is very easy to look at. The most perfect nose without rhinoplasty I ever saw. Jim Smith

I Saw The Devil.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 17 August 2018]

Doing a big summer clean-up I decided to get rid of a huge pile of old issues of UK film mag Empire. Making notes of titles that sounded interesting in the soon to be gone issues,I noticed this film being praised for being different to other "urban" Drama's. Caught by surprised, I was happy to see it was about to be shown on the BBC,which led to me meeting the devilish brothers.

View on the film:

Depressingly looking like it could have been filmed this year, writer/director Sally El Hosaini & cinematographer David Raedeker craft an intense, on the street reporting atmosphere, following each gang member stomping on their turf of rotting flats and side streets where huddled yoofs can pull out a knife to kill you in an instance. Filmed on location in Hackney, London, Hosaini stylishly uses hand-held cameras to shove the viewer by the walls of the cramped family home, where Rash and Mo's emotions boil over.

Bringing a feeling of brotherly love out of their troubled surroundings,James Floyd and Fady Elsayed give electrifying performances as Mo and Rash,with each of them pushing and pulling the other ones frustrations over the life of grime they are stuck in, whilst Saïd Taghmaoui nicely hits a note of calm as friend Sayyid. While the look of the movie and the performances successfully aim for something new in the "urban" Drama genre,the screenplay by Hosaini spends the first half playing the usual notes of the brothers having to survive rubbing shoulders with the various thugs on the streets. Closing in on things the brothers don't tell each other, Hosaini keeps the traditional urban flavour burning, whilst going for a more touchingly low-key examination of a brother being such a devil.

Typical excuse for cultural disregard for law.

[apjc · 2/10 · 5 March 2018]

Usual depiction of drugs, guns and knife crime being not just the best but the only way ethnic minorities, be they Black or Asian can make a decent living. Am I being racist, or are the film makers, I'd love to see a film were an Asian or Black family travel to Britain, overcome the bigotry and work hard to create a successful business. This sort of stuff goes down well with the metropolitan sort, I.E. those who hand out awards. Then shock, horror when the townies and villagers say if that's immigration stop it, we don't want it here. Films like this are counter productive, they tend to excuse violent criminal behaviour amongst minorities as their only option. All criminals, be they White, Black or Asian simply want easy money without working hard for it.

Hard-hitting with an unspeakable twist

[catherine-83217 · 6/10 · 10 November 2016]

My brother the Devil is the first independent film by British director Sally El Hosani and it explores the gritty reality of gang life and its abhorrent approaches on the LGBT community. My brother the devil follows close blood brothers Mo (Fady Elsayed) and Rasch (James Floyd) and how their differences slowly drive them apart. What is interesting with this drama is that Sally El Hosani was born in Hackney - where this controversial drama is set and her half Egyptian heritage reflects that of the two protagonists.

The represented themes that could be deemed most shocking to the audience in this drama are the Muslim and gang approaches to the LGBT community. When Rasch steps down from his position in a local gang in hope of a less chaotic and turbulent lifestyle, he slowly realises his sexuality with fellow ex-gang member Sayyid (Saïd Taghmaoui). When his brother Mo discovers this he is full of disgust and shame and rejects Rasch's relation to him, screaming 'Wish you were never my brother!'. The audience feels forced to watch in contempt as Mo adopt Rasch's previous role in a gang as he begins to run a drug dealing firm, almost in a desperate attempt to re-scramble the sense of masculinity within his family that he feels he lost with Rasch's sexuality. The shocking revelation that follows is that Mo would rather admit to his brother being a terrorist than homosexual, which speaks volumes in how this drama represents the views of LGBT's in gang culture and Islam.

My brother the devil is shockingly poignant and an impressive first entry by documentary director Sally El Hosani which provides a hard hitting narrative on sensitive themes. It depicts how familial love can be broken down by a clash of conservative views and modern reality.

A brave piece

[connor-lynch · 6/10 · 4 November 2016]

in society, there are many contemporary issues within the working class, highly due to the fact of the rise in immigration in the past decade, raising the hostility and prejudices towards those who was not born here. Sally tackles the issue of race extremely well, and deals with the problems within racial and social demographics surrounding homosexuality. she explores the cultural in-differences surrounding it. for example, Mo says that he would rather have a brother that is a terrorist than one who is a homo, which speaks volumes for a minority of Muslim fundamentalists who feel the same, and some more conservative religious viewers who would share the same view, regardless of what religion.

this piece also tackles the more social related issues of gang culture and 'roadmen' it explores the vicious circle that many youths today find themselves in, and also demonstrates what is considered the only way out, and the betrayal that people can commit towards you.

overall, I did think it was a good film mainly due to the brave and audacious issues raised, however, I do feel that it lacked a certain dramatic edge, and had a weak enigma throughout.

Slightly undewhelming

[DoINeedT0 · 6/10 · 15 August 2018]

It did take two sittings for me to get through this, the beginning felt like a lot of scene-setting, not all of which was compelling or necessary to the story line. Some of the acting felt a bit wooden. A lot of the side-characters were very forgettable. Mo's friendship with Aisha didn't really go anywhere. Wish that Rash and Sayyid's relationship, which was suddenly introduced out of *nowhere*, could have been explored more. And for god's sake, is it possible for people to actually say the word *bisexual*? Others have been saying that this is about a gay brother, when it is never said that he doesn't still love Vanessa. And the fact that their sex was not 100% consensual should have been addressed more. There were just a lot of stereotypes which were played into. A few plot holes such as what happened after Izzi's murder? No investigation? No living in constant fear that the police will rock up at your door? No CCTV that would have caught them? None of the characters seemed desperately sad that someone had died. Despite all these issues, I didn't dislike it. There were parts which were dramatic and tense. Also, why do films insist on being filmed in the dark, I know it's atmospheric, but god is it difficult to watch.

Really enjoyable, great performance from lead actors

[simonovic28 · 9/10 · 8 February 2012]

I saw the film at Sundance and I really liked it. The film represents a realistic portrayal of inner-city London gangs and the performances of the lead actors are excellent. In particular, the performance of James Floyd, who has a powerful and engaging on-screen presence deserves praise.

Don't be fooled into thinking this is just another low budget London gangs film. It is much more than that and the quality of the cast and crew shines through in the final product. The cinematography gives the film a truly authentic feel, giving it firmer foundations than many others of its kind.

This is definitely worth a watch and I hope the film gets recognised with more awards.

Oddly uncompelling

[paul2001sw-1 · 4/10 · 21 June 2017]

Sally El-Hossani's low-key film 'My Brother the Devil' tells the story of a family of petty gangsters in contemporary London, and of the difficulties of escaping expectations and obligations. It's hard to say why I didn't like this movie, but the plotting is a bit messy, and I found it very hard to identify with the characters, ordinary young men vying to make their way in the world. Normally, I dislike Hollywood narratives, but this is a film that struggles maybe could have done with one, or alternatively, with the sort of social context that a director like Ken Loach might have provided. As it is, it washed over me, leaving me unengaged.

A stunning piece of film-making not to be missed

[joshuaphillips95 · 9/10 · 8 February 2012]

This really is an outstanding film, with beautifully crafted visuals, strong script, and excellent cast performances led by James Floyd and Fady Elsayed. A worthy winner of the Best Cinematography prize at Sundance 2012 where I saw the premiere screening.

It deals in a real and sensitive manner with some fascinating personal issues, and without giving any of the story away it keeps the watcher engaged to the very end.

The film stays loyal to its subject matter, employing a script based on the street lingo of its London estate setting. While this takes a few minutes to adapt to, it allowed me to became immersed in the real interactions, emotions, and events of the film.

A fantastic debut from talented director Sally El Hosaini, this is one to watch when it is released in the UK.

Don't Believe the Hype

[harrymccormack1981 · 2/10 · 30 December 2013]

Sometimes hype and award wins does not merit what you are expecting.

James Floyd and Fady Elsayed star as brothers of Egyptian descent living in an crime-ridden housing estate in Hackney, London with their parents. Floyd is the older brother who is heavily with the gangland culture of the estate and Elsayed is the younger brother fresh out of school and idolises him.

A death of a friend in a gang fight makes old brother reconsider his gang life and looks for a way out while young brother wants a way in.

This storyline appears promising but the film unfortunately goes nowhere with its bad acting and boring sub-plots. A sub-plot even throws in a homosexuality storyline out of the air. There is not even any kind of satisfying ending to keep you watching.

In conclusion, the film makes a mess of a good idea and I'm baffled at the plaudits it is getting. Being realistic is good but a film has to be entertaining which this isn't.

Don't believe the hype.

An authentic look at expatriate Egyptian family in Britain

[Info-502-581113 · 10/10 · 25 March 2013]

This is such an excellent film. Yes there is considerable and explosive violence but is not at all gratuitous nor overwhelming. Every character is well developed and essential to the storyline even when they are portraying bad gang members or undesirable drug dealers. The two young brothers are authentic and believable like all the other major and minor characters. And the plot is full of suspense and surprise at every turn. What is extraordinary is the positive way the gay relationship that unexpectedly develops between Rashid and the photographer is treated. Unlike tradition in Hollywood films of this genre, a gay relationship never thrives nor allowed to develop into a happily ever after scenario. Either one of the gay characters must die or worse are killed or a gay character gives up a difficult male /male love relationship and sublimates his emotional and sexual needs by attempting to find happiness in a forced gay male/ straight female union to satisfy heterosexual audiences expectations. Not in this film. For this reason, It becomes a breakthrough film that people will be talking about for years to come. And who knew that macho young gang members put so much pressure on themselves to be real men that they secretly long to be intimate with their gang buddies as a show of affection. This film explores this phenomena deftly. And the musical score is perfect. I highly recommend everyone runs to see this movie and the world in which these fantastic and contradictory characters reside. Kudos as well to the sensitive touch of the female writer and director. All gay themed stories should be treated with such sensitivity.

Done much better elsewhere...

[natashabowiepinky · 4/10 · 16 October 2013]

There is a sequence in this movie, where one of the two main protagonists finds out he's gay, which made me laugh longer and harder than almost anything else this year. He has this arty friend, ya see (how original), and he ends accidentally kissing him while playfighting over a camera. After initially lashing out at the guy and denying it meant anything, not to mention a trip to his girlfriend's house for a rather uncomfortable sex session to 'straighten him out', he realises he just MAY be a 'battyboy' after all. So, back he goes to his mate's studio, where they proceed to do the dirty deed. All of this arrives out of nowhere, and almost leads me to believe it was inserted into the film by Stonewall campaigners who want the yoof of today to be less homophobic. The only problem is, the whole chain of events is so random and forced, it loses whatever credibility it might have had with the target audience.

But that's the fault which brings down the film in a nutshell... Conflicts are too easily resolved, people change their mind without any motivation and stereotyping is rife. Everything feels half baked, as if there's a lot of wires here where someone forgot to connect A to B, C to D... and so on. I was not convinced by anyone here due to this, so found it impossible to give two hoots as they went about their uninteresting business. A far better demonstration of this lifestyle can be found in the recent Channel 4 series Top Boy, which is an uncompromising look at life in a council estate with a drug gang hierarchy. It has nary a cliché in sight, and doesn't seek to appeal to minority groups in unbelievably clumsy ways either... 4/10

tender coming-of-age film with brilliantly acted characters

[thealefmagnus · 8/10 · 19 September 2013]

Before I begin, I would just like to state the fact that I did not watch any trailer or read any long synopsis about the film. All I knew was it's about two Egyptian brothers living in the gangland side of London. Did this play well for me? Definitely. And I think this should be how everyone should watch movies. Minimal expectations and little to no presumptions. You'd appreciate the story more and you'd find yourself glued to the screen whatever genre it is.

My Brother The Devil follows the story of two brothers living in the beautifully shot yet dangerous communities in East London. Mo, the younger brother idolizes his older brother Rashid who is part of a gang in the area, the DMG (Drugs, Money, Guns). Rashid wants nothing for his brother but to go a different path than him but he can't do this if his brother looks up to what he does as something to aspire. As part of the gang, Rashid sometimes engages in several illegal activities such as transporting drugs. When Mo gets into trouble with a rival group in the community headed by "Demon", things start turning for the worst.

Events intensify as Rashid witnesses the death of his best friend Izzi who was trying to live a normal life out of the gang. This becomes a turning point for him to start cleaning up his act and leave his gang without notice. Through a newly formed friendship with a rich photographer, Sayyid, Rashid starts to change his ways and finally earns a job as an assistant. Growing suspicious of his brother's absence, Mo follows his brother only to be torn apart with what he finds out. He takes his brother's place in the gang and becomes more involved with its illegal activities.

A lot of people are calling the movie out on this twist but if you look back at the scenes leading up to the film's midpoint, it was well-hinted. There are many scenes that indicate the upcoming reveal so while it took my be surprise, it wasn't that big of a shock. It is actually in line with the overall idea of the film. It's about growing up and making decisions in your life about things you cannot change and taking action for your own betterment.

At first, I thought it was going to be mostly about the younger brother following his brother around and learning more about life in this perspective. What surprised me was the equal treatment of the two characters. Both of them were undergoing great changes in their lives and their decisions that come after have great effect later on. As the danger of Rashid's old life tries to catch up with him, bonds are put to test leading up to the thrilling pre-final scenes of the film.

The biggest asset of "My Brother" undoubtedly comes from the two main leads. James Floyd is a force to be reckoned with as he exhibits immense versatility in playing the gang member brother of the duo. If you see him as an actor, you'll be surprised at how different he is from his previous projects and in real life. It's like watching a whole different person acting in this film. He even adopted the necessary accent fit for the role. Fady Elsayed appears to be no stranger in acting yet you'd be surprised to know, it's only his first time to act on screen. His chemistry with his friend Aisha (Letitia Wright) flows naturally and captures the sweet side to a character trying to measure up to his brother's name.

Another strong point of the film is its cinematography, allowing a supposedly dangerous community appearing as liveable yet could pose an imminent threat to the character's lives anytime. As Sayyid once points out in the film, it's all about the framing. The film allows you to look into the fragile lives of the brothers despite the tough background they are in. Mad props to writer/director Sally El Hosaini on this debut feature, deserving of its buzz and multiple awards in several festivals in 2012.

My Brother The Devil is a tender coming-of-age film with brilliantly acted characters and an eye-catching visuals of the notorious gangland of East London. It's an exploration of identity, a test of brotherhood, and the exhibition of choice towards change.

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The film was controversial yet un-interesting.

[peterpearce-58025 · 5/10 · 3 November 2016]

The show my brother the devil plays on many stereotypes from Muslim stereo types to gay and lesbian stereotypes. This is because Rash turns out to be gay in a Muslim household and his brother finds out however his mum and dad do not know. This relates to life in the streets of the streets of south east London as if a so called gangster was to be called gay he may be picked on or made fun of. Also in the religion of Islam it is haram to be gay therefore if Rash would have told his parents they may have kicked him out of looked down upon him. The film touches on very controversial topics such as a gangster which is gay as this may be the first time such a character has been shown or depicted in a film.