Brotherhood

 

“Brotherhood” is a 2019 Canadian period drama film directed by Richard Bell, set in the 1920s. The story revolves around a group of young boys at a summer camp on Balsam Lake in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. These boys are members of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, led by Robert Butcher and Arthur Lambden, both World War I veterans. They embark on a canoe trip that turns disastrous when an unexpected thunderstorm capsizes their canoe, leading to a struggle for survival.

Character Backgrounds
The film delves into the personal lives of several characters before the camping trip. George Waller faces an abusive father; Arthur Lambden has returned from war only to be haunted by the loss of his wife and child to the Spanish flu; and two brothers, Will and Jack, grapple with the death of their father during the war. Leonard O’Hara, another character, harbors a fear of water due to his father’s drowning years prior.

Survival Struggle
After their canoe capsizes during a violent storm, some boys drown while others cling desperately to the overturned canoe throughout a frigid night. The survivors battle hypothermia and fear as they await rescue. Ultimately, only four boys manage to reach Grand Island and find makeshift paddles to return to safety at Long Point.

Themes
The film explores themes of masculinity, vulnerability, and brotherhood against the backdrop of tragedy and loss. It juxtaposes moments of camaraderie among the boys with their harrowing fight for survival.

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