The Brothers Bloom: cons, and how to avoid them

Yep,  The Brothers Bloom is a con-man movie of sorts, and yep, it's (Roger Ebert) "lively at times ...lovely to look at, and the actors are persuasive ... around and around it goes and where it stops ..."   But if you go to con-man movies because you like to "think at some point that everything is for real, or even better, that we can see through it when we can't" you're missing the point.  The Brothers Bloom isn't The Sting.  Its closer to Big Fish and Synecdoche, and, as such, is an entertaining and intriguing challenge to the very idea of a con-man movie.  Let  me explain ...

con
n.
a story written for the purpose of causing others to act in ways that will fill particular roles in that story

reality
n.
a hypothetical antidote to stories in general, and cons in particular

the problem: its all stories

more effective antidote to cons: write your own stories

adjunct therapy: engage in shared story writing

additional benefits: may be an effective preventative as well for depression growing from existential angst

possible side-effects: lessening of existential interest in cons, con-man movies; enjoyment of their complexities/style may persist