Rating: 
Summary: Thoughtful and moving.
Review: A near impossible documentary to categorize, this touching film focuses on the alleged murder of Bill Ward by his brother Delbert, a plain dairy farmer in the central New York community of Munnsville. His defense becomes a rallying cry to his neighbors as he becomes a target of speculation, abuse and manipulation. At times it seems this story is about the exploitation of country-folk by the media, or the encroachment of the city on rural communities like Munnsville, or the importance of community activism in the judicial system, or abuses of power by an unsympathetic police department. But at its core, this is a yarn about four brothers, hermits, living a nearly extinct lifestyle among cows and hayfields, knowing only each other in their day-to-day life. Berlinger and Sinofsky play with their audience. Lulling us into a false sense of knowledge, we casually apply stereotypes to the people of Munnsville and then, by watching how they respond to this crisis, slowly we are forced to conclude that, like the media circus that followed the Ward case for so many months, we are as wrong in our preconceptions and as quick to leap to judgment about these people as all those who've done them wrong. The people of Munnsville are not simple. Or stupid. They chose their way of life, they did not fall into it. Despite which, the Ward brothers are, at times, seen as sad; illiterate and deprived of human contact as they are. When Lyman Ward testifies on his brother's behalf, he shakes and is unable to speak because people make him nervous. This scene is so touching - it is to the directors credit that they were deft enough just to let the camera record his trembling in silence. That image stays with the audience long after the film ends.
Brother's Keeper is more compelling than any fictional drama, painting broad strokes on a very small canvas. The story is personal, compassionate, and powerful.
Rating:
Summary: LIFE AND DEATH ON THE FRINGE
Review: BROTHER'S KEEPER (New Video Group), the much praised, unforgettable true account of the murder trial of Delbert Ward, is a mesmerizing, heart-rending drama. Delbert has an IQ of 63 and can't read or write. He's one of four equally simple, bearded, unbathed, elderly brothers in Munnsville, New York (population 500) who raise cows, live in a shack, and rarely see outsiders. When one brother dies, Delbert is accused of murder. Rumors fly that a confession was coerced and the people of Munnsville band together to help Delbert. This incredibly compassionate documentary reveals the morality of the rural community and the souls of the three surviving brothers. Highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Awakens Compassion
Review: Brother's Keeper is an amazing movie. Every time I watch it, my heart fills with compassion for Delbert, his brothers and all the innocent people in this world that are caught in circumstances they cannot grasp or change. If I'm feeling sorry for myself- which is absurd as I'm blessed with a healthy mind and body, wonderful family and friends- I watch a film like Brother's Keeper to wake me up to what true suffering and hardship is. It reminds me just how great I've got it.
Rating:
Summary: A perfect movie for smalltown lovers
Review: I actually grew up in the same town as the Ward Boys. They were simple people that were just trying to get by with what little they had. This movie truly brings all of the events that happened together and shows people how others really live.
Rating: 
Summary: Am I my Brothers Keeper?
Review: I am a resident of Central New York and this story was very well known to everybody in these parts.If your reading this you probally have read some of the other reviews so I`ll be brief.This is an incredible film,you are taken to a place that exists and people that are exactly what you see...its almost like travelling back to the turn of the century when you visit the Ward farm.The Ward brothers were indeed considered outsiders by some locals but they,ultimately,were a genuine thread that made up the fabric of this community and after Delbert is charged with his brothers murder and when the people sensed a railroading by a politically minded D.A.,they rally to Delbert`s defense.It is a unique look at small town America...from its citizens,its lifestyle and its politics.
The film is sometimes funny,disturbing and even uncomfortable at times but it is as powerful an experience as you could ever have.Like another documentary I have seen - Sunshine Hotel....about flophouses in New York City - it pulls no punches and hits hard....gritty and bold it will resonate long after its final credits have rolled.
Rating:
Summary: the best documentary I've seen
Review: I first saw Brother's Keeper 4 years ago and have rented it at least a dozen times before buying my own copy. The characters are stranger than fiction, especially the prosecution's forensic expert. I am fascinated by the Ward brothers and the rest of the characters in this documentary. Delbert's factual guilt or innocence were not important to me; I just wanted him to be able to return to the life he knew. I am amazed by the directors' ability to become like flies on the wall in the telling of this remarkable human drama.
Rating: 
Summary: just ok
Review: i'v seen a multitude of documentaries, both low and high budget, and although i found the story interesting i felt this film was not up the hype it was given. worth seeing, but not worth owning.
Rating:
Summary: just ok
Review: i'v seen a multitude of documentaries, both low and high budget, and although i found the story interesting i felt this film was not up the hype it was given. worth seeing, but not worth owning.
Rating:
Summary: Pig killing
Review: If you are not a vegetarian before you watch the wide eyed pig die in confusion, you should be afterwards. It screams. Stumbels. Tries to stand up. It's blood gushing. Tries to understand. Stumbels again. Looking around to see what has gone wrong in the world. What a wonderful, terrible moment for the filmakers to include, this sad, violent death. It is at the heart of the film, and should be.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST SEE!
Review: If you're looking for a movie with a range of emotions, you must see this movie (documentary). It will make you laugh, cry, angry, empathize...Definitely one of the best I have ever seen! A heartwarming tale of murder sums it up correctly. After viewing, you want to put your arms around the brothers and become part of the community "family" they live in. A great tale of real life comraderie!
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