They say when you seek revenge, you should dig two graves. That adage is at the core ofBrothers by Blood, an upcoming crime thriller starringMatthias SchoenaertsandJoel Kinnamanas two hoods whose lives continue to be profoundly affected by a decades-old tragedy. Collider has an exclusive first look at the film’s trailer, and it looks appreciably intense.
Schoenaerts plays Peter Flood, who saw his sister get killed by a reckless driver right in front of him when he was a little boy. Peter’s father swears vengeance, which judging by what we see in the trailer ends up with him dead and Peter forever in debt to some nefarious people. Kinnaman plays Peter’s cousin Michael, who works with Peter doing serious crime stuff and is desperate to increase his underworld power. Michael does something impulsive, prompting the big boss to hand Peter an unthinkable task - he must kill Michael, and there’s no way out of it.
Written and directed byJérémie Guezand based on the novel byPete Dexter,Brothers by Bloodalso starsMaika Monroe(It Follows) and a suitably gruffRyan Phillippe. It looks grim and tense and even a little frightening - there are a few truly shocking images in the trailer. It reminded me ofBen Affleck’sThe Towncrossed withClint Eastwood’sMystic River, with a pervasively bleak tone examining the lasting trauma of violence. You can watch the trailer below, as well as some exclusive images from the film.Brothers by Bloodarrives in select theaters and on VOD and digital platforms January 22.
Here’s the official synopsis forBrothers by Blood:
In the City of Brotherly Love, eight-year-old Peter Flood helplessly watches on as his little sister is killed by a neighbor’s reckless driving. Tormented with grief and resentment, his father finds revenge as the only solution, leaving lasting generational wounds. Thirty years later, Peter (Matthias Schoenaerts) still wrestles with the guilt he feels over his sister’s death and his father’s vengeance. As he tries to distance himself from the criminal family business, his cousin, Michael (Joel Kinnaman), becomes more powerful in the hierarchy. Bonded by blood, neither man can escape violence as they are dragged further into a chilling cycle of betrayal and retribution.
