Brothers

The film received a mixed response and grossed $43 million. Maguire, however, received particular praise for his performance, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.

During Sam’s tour, his helicopter is shot down and he and Private Joe Willis are the sole survivors. They are taken prisoner by the Taliban, but are declared killed in action by the government. Upon hearing the news of his brother’s death, Tommy berates Grace for letting Sam go to Afghanistan, and rebuffs her when she offers to let him stay in her house. At Sam’s funeral in absentia, Hank attempts to drive Elsie and the girls home while drunk, but Tommy intercepts him. Hank once again berates Tommy, and Tommy accuses Hank of influencing Sam to join the Marines because of his own Vietnam War service.

Tommy attempts to redeem himself and completes a kitchen remodel for Grace. Hank and Tommy also mend their relationship, and Grace bonds with Tommy, aided by his growing paternal connection with Isabelle and Maggie. Tommy also apologizes to the store owner whom he robbed. Grace and Tommy share a fireside kiss, but do not take their attraction any further. However, Tommy continues to remain close with the family and his nieces grow attached to him. Meanwhile, Sam and Joe are tortured by their captors and Sam is eventually forced to brutally beat Joe to death.

Sometime later, Sam is rescued and returns home, where he struggles to readjust, showing signs of severe post-traumatic stress disorder; his daughters grow fearful and resentful toward him. Sam also lies to Joe’s widow about her husband’s death. His paranoia also causes him to believe Grace and Tommy fell in love while he went away, causing him to remain aloof. When Grace questions Sam about what happened in Afghanistan, Sam demands to know what happened between her and Tommy. Grace tells Sam that she and Tommy kissed while he was gone, but Sam has trouble believing that is all that happened. When Grace questions Sam again, Sam does not respond and walks away.

During Maggie’s birthday party, Isabelle is rude to her sister and jealously complains that Maggie got what she wanted for her birthday, while Isabelle did not. Isabelle chastises Sam for being in Afghanistan during her birthday, but being able to attend Maggie’s. Isabelle then begins to play with a balloon loudly, and, despite objections from Sam and Grace, triggers Sam’s PTSD, causing him to become agitated and burst the balloon out of fury in front of the family. Already scared and resentful of Sam’s erratic behavior and violent mood swings, a hurt Isabelle falsely claims that Tommy and Grace are having an affair and angrily tells Sam that she wishes he had actually died.

Returning home, Sam, believing his daughter’s story, becomes enraged and destroys the kitchen with a crowbar in front of Grace. He suddenly calms down when Tommy shows up and attempts to bring Sam into an embrace, trying to calm his brother’s violent breakdown, while Grace isolates her daughters from their father. However, Sam immediately becomes defensive when he realizes that Tommy has already called the police. DOD Police arrive and confront Sam, leading into a standoff. He fires a pistol into the air and demands that the policemen kill him before holding the gun to his own head, contemplating suicide, but reluctantly changes his mind and surrenders after several protests from Tommy and a tearful Grace.

Sam is arrested and admitted to a Veterans’ Affairs hospital. Grace visits, giving him an ultimatum that if he does not tell her the truth, Sam will lose her forever. Sam finally confesses that he killed Joe and they embrace, wondering if he will ever be able to live a normal life again.