No Brother of Mine (2007) (aka: Lethal Obsession) starring Kellie Martin, Adam MacDonald, Dylan Neal, Zara Taylor, Marianne Farley, France Viens, Sarah Smyth, Conrad Pla directed by Philippe Gagnon Movie Review

No Brother of Mine (2007)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Kellie Martin as Nina St. Clair in No Brother of Mine (2007) (aka: Lethal Obsession)

Oh Brother

Many movie reviewers will tell you that the hardest movies to review are not the terrible ones or the really good ones but the ordinary ones because there is nothing to say about them. That is the predicament I find myself in when it comes "No Brother of Mine" also known as "Lethal Obsession" because it is an ordinary made for TV movie with nothing really terrible about it and nothing really good either. I suppose the best thing other than lead actress Kellie Martin being watchable is that the actual idea of a dangerously obsessive and protective brother has potential which unsurprisingly is never fully explored here.

Aware that her husband has been having an affair with a colleague Nina St. Clair (Kellie Martin) has worked too hard to build the life they have to just throw it away especially with two children to think of. But Nina has another reason to be protective of the life she has built as all her life she has been trying to escape her dangerous and overly protective brother Drew (Adam MacDonald), forcing her to change her name and hide her past which she has finally achieved. But that all changes when she hears that her Gran is sick and on returning to Buffalo to secretly visit she accidentally lets Drew back in to her life and although he says he has changed is as protective and obsessive as ever.

Adam MacDonald as Drew Brampton in No Brother of Mine (2007) (aka: Lethal Obsession)

"No Brother of Mine" opens up with a scene of a woman hiding under a blanket in a car parked in a drive way waiting and watching till there is an explosion inside the house and then it jumps forwards 22 years. For the entire movie you will be wondering where that scene comes into things, what is the significance and when the explanation comes you will groan. But then we are talking TV movie here and "No Brother of Mine" is a stereotypical TV movie with the same characters, plot devices and irrational thoughts you will find in many a TV movie. It doesn't make it bad just on a par with so many others and with nothing making it stand out from the crowd.

But that is a shame because I like the basic idea to "No Brother of Mine" with a woman trying to escape her obsessive brother who whilst she has no firm evidence is sure that he has killed the men who she dated until she started a new life for herself under a new name. Of course being a TV movie "No Brother of Mine" doesn't do this idea justice and through some typical contrivances and poor ideas it never reaches the dramatic heights it could have but you can see how it could have developed into something special. And without spoiling things one of the best things it could have done is to give us a more sinister reasoning for Drew's obsession with his sister because the reasoning we get is a let down.

Aside from that well as already mentioned Kellie Martin is watchable as Nina, it may not be the best written character but Martin has something about her which is simply likeable which immediately gets us on side. And in fairness Adam MacDonald as Drew is a bit of an uneasy character although thanks to some typical TV movie writing his actions tend to border on the cliche and pantomime like. Aside from that well the rest of the performances are forgettable thanks to forgettable characters which seemed to mainly require attractive looking women.

What this all boils down to is whether you call it "No Brother of Mine" or "Lethal Obsession" it still ends up a run of the mill made for TV movie which isn't bad but has nothing to make it stand out from the crowd.


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