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About this movie

Genres:
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Language:
English
Running time:
1:49:34
Partner rating:
PG-13
Released:

Cast & Crew

Cast

  1. Joe Morton The Brother
  2. Rosanna Carter
  3. Ray Ramirez
  4. Yves Rene
  5. Peter Richardson
  6. Ginny Yang
  7. Daryl Edwards
  8. Steve James Odell
  9. Leonard Jackson Smokey
  10. Bill Cobbs Walter
  11. Maggie Renzi Noreen
  12. Olga Merediz Noreen's Client
  13. Tom Wright Sam
  14. Minnie Gentry Mrs. Brown
  15. Renn Woods
  16. Darryl Edwards Fly
  17. Ren Woods Bernice
  18. Reggie Rock Bythewood Rickey
  19. Alvin Alexis Willis
  20. Liane Alexandra Curtis Ace

Directors

  1. John Sayles

Producers

  1. Peggy Rajski
  2. Maggie Renzi

Writers

  1. John Sayles

The Brother From Another Planet

Filmmaker John Sayles' first bonafide box-office success, Brother from Another Planet centers on a black escaped slave from a faraway planet (Joe Morton) who finds himself on the mean streets Harlem. Though the locals are put off by the slave's inability to speak, they are won over by his technical wizardry. He is adopted as a "brother" by his new friends, who protect him from pursuing white aliens played by director Sayles and David Strathairn.

Reviews by Rotten Tomatoes

Scored 'fresh' by Rotten Tomatoes

92%Tomatometer score: 92% positive reviews from professional critics.

percent positive reviews

  1. Negative review
    Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader The two different ends require shifts in point of view that are beyond Sayles's talent as a visual storyteller, and the film does not cohere. Full review External link
  2. Positive review
    Geoff Andrew, Time Out Central to the film's deft balancing act between shaggy dog humour and something just a little more serious is Morton's expressive performance as the alien, though the rest of the cast also plays admirably. Full review External link
  3. Positive review
    Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times The movie finds countless opportunities for humorous scenes, most of them with a quiet little bite, a way of causing us to look at our society. Full review External link
  4. Positive review
    Vincent Canby, New York Times It's a nice, unsurprising shaggy-dog story that goes on far too long. Full review External link

Read more reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

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