You have to appreciate the interesting new twist added on the tale of one of the more famous biblical figures of all time; Di Franco definitely has the right idea with this movie adding an entirely new perspective that not only made the final act of one character understandable, but also added some hint of dimensions behind his motivation in the grand scheme of the final events. The filming is beautiful with some gorgeous landscapes and wonderful set pieces. Di Franco definitely has an eye for breathtaking scenery and gives the film a flair it needs.
I’m afraid that even the most naïve viewer who has no concept of the words “plot twist” will sadly see the twist coming miles and miles away before the second half even dawns upon the audience. That’s the sad caveat behind “The Obscure Brother,” a short film with a good concept, but a catch that fails before the movie even begins. I saw where it was all going, I knew what was progressing, and in spite of the best attempts from Di Franco to conceal it all before the big punch, it’s all so predictable. Just looking at the title and cover, I instantly knew what the director was going for even in her best efforts to provide a cryptic plot description.
Even with the Cain and Able spin, “The Obscure Brother” sadly doesn’t live up to the great potential it serves the audience because it’s every bit as predictable as it seems, and if that’s not a caveat enough, the performances tend to often bring down the powerful themes. It’s bad enough our characters speak perfect English, but the dialogue can tend to border on campy with often stilted dialogue and hammy performances that never quite rise to the occasion to take on this premise. All chemistry and conflict are pretty much nowhere to be found, as our primary reason for viewing this short film falls on being under developed and bland, however purposeful it may have been. Certain staged scenes are inadvertently flat, and any hope for irony is gone in the hail of anachronisms and distracting plot devices.
The motivation for this brother being paid to turn on his brother is never fully realized, nor does Di Franco explain what they pay him for. Just the same, it’s never completely logical why this mother would favor her son and then suddenly abandon him for another so abruptly even when it’s never revealed that he was behind the conspiracy in the climax. Moments such as that leave gaping holes in the plot and I wish a longer format could have clarified some pressing questions. Di Franco provides a great new spin on one of the oldest biblical stories of all time paired with very good direction, it’s just a shame the new spin paired with the plot twist are all so predictable from minute one. “The Obscure Brother” has a lot of potential, it’s just not as realized as it should have been, in the end.