‘The Brothers Sun’ (Season 1) Review: A Triad of Family Obligations and Secrets
What would you do if you discovered that your family had been part of the secret society? Families have many secrets, and it is often tucked under the rug or kept hidden in closets, whichever is preferred, from being spilt out. But when the youngest brother discovers that his older brother and mother have hidden family secrets from him, his world turns upside down.
Byron Wu’s and Brad Falchuk’s The Brothers Sun is an action comedy and family drama that follows the Sun family from Taiwan to Los Angeles, but mostly, the latter has many secrets. The one thing that ties the family together is their bond; they would do anything to protect each other from harm.
Charles Sun (Justin Chien) is a brutal gangster living in a glamorous Taipei penthouse. He watches The Great British Baking Show and bakes his latest dessert. To finish his cake, he puts it in the oven and sets a timer, but before it can go off, he is attacked by three assassins. His father, Big Sun (Johnny Kou), the head of the Taiwanese gangster triad, comes in to assess the situation when he gets shot and falls into a coma.
With the secret gangster society in danger and Charles as the interim head, he heads to Los Angeles, where his mother, Eileen (Michelle Yeoh), and younger brother, Bruce (Sam Song Li), live. Charles is a seasoned warrior aware of the danger his family is in now, unlike Bruce, who is more focused on studying improv against Eileen’s wishes.
Unbeknownst to Bruce, she has kept the family’s business hidden from him. He finds it hard to grasp the deadly gangster warfare in Taipei and Los Angeles and that his mother could be capable of doing these things, such as dismembering an enemy’s body into pieces. Charles, Bruce and Eileen have spent 15 years being separated as a family, and now, they must heal the wounds and find the meaning of family and brotherhood to move forward before their enemies kill them.
The Brothers Sun is an action-packed series. Its use of weapons, kicks, and the community’s cultural diversity in Los Angeles contains humorous and entertaining moments. It’s clear from the beginning that the Sun family is different from the rest of the characters. Charles will do anything to protect his family. He doesn’t get distracted by anything except churros, or anyone. He knows that his enemies are always two steps ahead.
On the other hand, Bruce is suddenly thrust into Charles’ world. Their dynamic is the opposite, which makes it hard for him to understand his older brother’s world. He cringes at the sight of blood and fears almost everything. Eileen is all too familiar with how things are run in the triad. She wants to protect her children, especially Bruce because she knows he won’t be able to handle the responsibilities of the dangerous society in Taipei.
By bringing this family dynamic to the threshold, there are emotional aspects that they must confront. The series explores the trauma of Eileen leaving Taipei to raise Bruce while leaving Charles behind with his father and growing up without his mother. The family obligations of Charles to his father and Eileen to protect her naive younger son, Bruce, from the reality of her other world.
Simultaneously, she wants Bruce to pursue a career in medicine so that he can have a better life for himself. Because Eileen has sacrificed her life to keep Bruce safe — something he is expected to do in return. The exploration of family expectations and desires is deeply explored in Charles’ storyline.
A part of him wants to pursue something else: to open a restaurant and become a baker. But he knows his obligations to his father and their business are much more important than some silly little dream. This theme is constantly embedded into the show’s central emotional conflict, which helps them to realise where their morals lie.
The series unravels the Sun family’s secrets and emotions. The thrilling action sequences of their criminal activity will keep audiences entertained. The great Michelle Yeoh is phenomenal on screen. She’s a fierce actor who brings her charisma and duality on screen, along with her lethal fists, and it is exciting to watch. The Brothers Sun is an entertaining action dramedy that explores family obligations, the desire to follow dreams, and healing familial trauma.
Here are some reading materials to learn about the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine and the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement:
Books about Palestine on Verso Books
Books about Palestine on Haymarket Books
