Exclusive: The Movies Brothers, Palm Spring Director Wants To Keep Making (2024)

One thing is for sure: Palm Springs and Brothers director Max Barbakow loves a high-concept story.

His directorial debut, Palm Springs, featured Andy Samberg and Cristin Miloti, who are stuck in a time loop. Brothers follows two siblings, played by Josh Brolin and Peter Dinklage, who go on a road trip for one last heist. Soon, Barbakow will direct a body-swap movie as well.

There is something about movies with a clever twist that draws his attention. Talking to ClutchPoints about Brothers (streaming on Prime Video now), Barbakow talked about why he loves high-concept movies. He described his latest movie as a “road trip movie that stayed in one location” like Palm Springs.

“I enjoy them because my process is pretty unwieldy,” he revealed. “I like throwing a lot of stuff at the wall. So after a certain point, just in the gestation period of the writing of it, you see what fits and then try to see what fits and then try to use [the] high concept to make it a little tidier.”

As for a future high concept he would like to tackle, he specifically named working in the spy genre: “I think that would be cool.”

I then suggested that he combine a time loop, road trip, and spy espionage into one movie. Even if he laughed, I knew that I would be seated.

What didn't make it into Brothers

Exclusive: The Movies Brothers, Palm Spring Director Wants To Keep Making (1)

Luckily, most of what Barbakow threw at the wall with Brothers made it into the film, though he revealed there was originally more of Marisa Tomei's Bethesda. (#ReleasetheTomeiCut!) There was also more of Farful (Brendan Fraser) and drugs that did not make it to the final cut.

He took a moment to praise Fraser, who was fresh off a Best Actor win for his performance in The Whale.

“Brendan is the best. He tried so many insane, fun things,” he said. “But we tried to keep it lean and mean.”

Barbakow called working with the “comedic genius” Fraser a “blast,” praising him for diving into his character.

“We had the luxury of having a little rehearsal time,” he recalled. “It was fun sitting around a table with Brendan, Peter, and Josh and just reading through the script. Those guys weren't putting too much on it, but from the get-go, Brendan dove into this character.”

Fraser's initial interpretation of the character was turned up to 11. But over time, Barbakow helped lead Fraser to pull it back to an appropriate level.

“Movies like this are only as interesting as their antagonist, and he's a great antagonist who, in a funny way, so badly wants to be liked by Jady (Dinklage) and Moke (Brolin),” he explained.

What a Brothers sequel would look like

Maybe there is a chance of a sequel revolving around Farful. While Dinklage and Brolin expressed to me their desire to have a sequel with Michael Shannon playing their father (or sister) — Barbakow threw Juliette Lewis' name in the hat to play their sister — the director already has ideas involving more Fraser.

“I had an idea for a sequel where Farful goes to prison, finds God, and then is released [and] becomes a priest and joins up with the brothers,” Barbakow revealed.

As for the brothers' mission, Barbakow is still dreaming it up. He did note that they would probably be trying to pick up Bethesda and to break their mother, Cath (the great Glenn Close), out of prison.

But nothing is guaranteed, especially in the streaming age. Max Barbakow is aware that there is a chance he never makes a Palm Springs or Brothers sequel, though he believes both are “ripe” for the picking. Between the two, Brothers has a more steady roadmap ahead if it were to get one.

“With both of these, we set out to tell a story and did it,” Barbakow said. “I think they stand alone. I think the Palm Springs sequel would definitely be [in] a different universe than the original film. You could sense where a Brothers sequel would go.”

After Palm Springs came out, Barbakow remembers being inspired by seeing Marvel's WandaVision series: “Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) could end up anywhere.”

What did he learn from Palm Springs?

Palm Springs was Max Barbakow's first major directorial feature. It teamed him with A-listers like Samberg and Milioti and gave him a huge platform.

Being aware of every scene's goal is something Barbakow learned. He did note that there also has to be room for experimentation. Barbakow also noted that “locking arms” with his stars goes a long way because they are “tonal arbiter and a source of energy through the experience of production.

A true brotherly connection

Brothers came together uniquely, with Brolin calling Dinklage to pitch the movie. He was previously told they both have big heads and look like brothers.

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While Barbakow is unaware if he was called before or after Dinklage, the script was already in place before he came on board. Dinklage shared it with him before Barbakow spoke to Brolin.

“I thought about it, and I have a pretty large cranium as well, so it made sense,” he said of joining the project.

It was a done deal; it happened “organically,” as he said.

Exclusive: The Movies Brothers, Palm Spring Director Wants To Keep Making (6)

One of the movie's best sequences is when Jady and Moke sing karaoke with their mom. Seeing Brolin, Dinklage, and Close, who are all renowned dramatic actors, sing “Stumblin' In” together is a joy.

But were there other songs considered for the scene? It was “always on the page,” according to the director, but that does not mean other stuff from the bar scenes did not make the cut.

He specifically named a montage of Jady doing karaoke. These include the Stumbling Furs' “Love My Way.” He described Dinklage's rendition of it as “beautiful.” Out of the three, Dinklage and Close were the best performers.

Whether or not Brothers and/or Palm Springs get a sequel, Max Barbakow will keep going. He is two-for-two with his high-concept comedies, and if one thing is clear: he is just getting started.

Brothers is streaming on Prime Video.

Exclusive: The Movies Brothers, Palm Spring Director Wants To Keep Making (2024)
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