Tobey Maguires Birthday

Based on Susanne Bier's fine film Brødre, director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father) examines the stormy family relationships in the Cahill family, when a favorite soldier son (Tobey Maguire) is declared missing in Afghanistan, and the less successful, rebellious brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) is left trying to make amends in his absence.

Brothers Brief Synopsis

Sam (Maguire) and Tommy Cahill (Gyllenhaal) couldn't be any more different a set of brothers if one tried. Sam is an honest Army Captain, faithful husband and father of two girls, who's about to embark on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, leaving his wife Grace (Natalie Portman, V for Vendetta) to look after the family in his absence.

Tommy is the black sheep of the family, always getting into trouble with the law. As the film begins, Tommy is released from jail after serving time for armed robbery, much to the disappointment of the Cahill patriarch Hank (Sam Shepherd, The Right Stuff). Aware that he isn't the favorite in the family, Tommy keeps to himself, though he harbors a fondness for his nieces, who like their uncle to be around.