Summary

• Filmmakers often collaborate with their siblings, creating a shorthand and high level of understanding that elevates their partnership.
• Directors have go-to collaborators who contribute to their signature style and blend of filmmaking techniques.
• The success of these director-duos' best projects showcases their talent and range, from subtle and quiet films to anxiety-inducing thrill rides.

Some filmmakers aren't the only ones in the family who have creative talent, and they've achieved great success through working with their siblings. There are plenty of directors who work with partners in many ways, as making a movie is not a solitary endeavor and requires many moving parts. Having a creative partner is common, but not every director-duo comes from a pair of siblings. Being family creates a shorthand and high level of understanding which elevates their partnership, allowing the quality of their work to reach new heights.

Whether they're directing partners, writers, cinematographers, or editors, directors have their go-to collaborators, which creates a unique blend of styles. Many Hollywood directors have signature styles. These are defined by their choices of how the actors are directed, the pacing, the visual shorthand, and what aspects of the script are emphasized. Great directors subvert their signatures just as easily as they represent them. Often, filmmakers come to be defined by what films are considered their best, even if that isn't representative of all their films.

Having a creative partner is common, but not every director-duo comes from a pair of siblings.

8 The Duplass Brothers

Jeff, Who Lives At Home (2011)

The Duplass Brothers shine when making subtle, quiet films that exemplify the best of the mumblecore genre. Mumblecore are films with improvisational dialogue and naturalistic settings. Movies like s Ha or the early Duplass film The Puffy Chair are hallmarks of the genre. However, Jeff, Who Lives At Home represents the evolution of mumblecore and who the filmmakers are as artists. Still focusing on the life of an aimless young adult growing closer to middle age, Jeff, Who Lives At Home is a more complex narrative and shows how the Duplass Brothers have more range than one might think.

7 The Russo Brothers

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Despite their comedic origins, The Russo Brothers were perfect for Marvel and helmed some of the most influential films of the franchise. Most notably, Avengers: Endgame broke many box office records and delivered a bittersweet ending to that chapter of the MCU. What makes Endgame their best work so far is its ability to balance moments of fan service with a plot that is faithful to the themes of the story and wraps up every character's ending fairly. Thanks to the Russos, Marvel is much more than just superheroes.

While the Russos will most likely return to the MCU eventually, they have an opportunity to take the notoriety they gained by making the most successful movie in the franchise and explore new avenues. Unfortunately, nobody was watching Amazon's Citadel, their most recent foray into television, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost for the directors. When they play to their strengths of well-choreographed action and well-incorporated visual effects, it's clear that the next generation of blockbusters has a lot to thank the Russos for.

6 The Safdie Brothers

Uncut Gems (2019)

Though the Safdie Brothers have recently split up, that doesn't detract from the fact that the films they made together were highlights of their genres. Known best for anxiety-inducing thrill rides that leave the audience gasping for breath, the Safdies don't make movies for the faint of heart. Not only is their pacing and visual style flawless, but their direction of actors has also received great acclaim. Adam Sandler starred in their best work, Uncut Gems, in a role that departed from his usual slapstick and showcased what a strong dramatic actor he is.

Of course, Sandler's talent can't be solely attributed to the Safdies, but the fact that their collaboration yielded such an iconic work shows the young filmmakers' talents. The sequel to Uncut Gems which was supposedly in the works is on hold for now, but both brothers are keeping busy. Benny Safdie is furthering his acting career in films like Oppenheimer and the TV show The Curse, while Josh has a few new projects in the works.

5 The Duffer Brothers

Stranger Things (2016 - )

It's true that Stranger Things isn't a film, but its cultural impact is just as notable, and its success catapulted the Duffer Brothers into fame. Combining nostalgia for the 1980s with fantastical elements, Stranger Things has become an institution for Netflix. Part of the show's success is thanks to the child actors who got the audience hooked in season 1. However, it's notoriously difficult to direct child actors, but the Duffers pulled it off flawlessly. As the end of the series draws closer, the Duffers will certainly expand their works into new genres as well as more movies.

4 The Farrelly Brothers

There's Something About Mary (1998)

Comedy films aren’t critically praised, but that doesn't mean they don't have value or aren't worth watching. The Farrelly Brothers sometimes fly under the radar because they do most of their work in comedy, but their films have illustrated some of the best tropes of the genre. Using tropes isn't always a bad thing, and being the first to do so is an impressive example of how influential a director is. There's Something About Mary has Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz at their most charismatic and pokes fun at the romantic comedy genre while being a classic within it.

3 The Wachowski Sisters

The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix isn't just a classic sci-fi adventure about the dangers of relying too heavily on technology. The Matrix has become a trans allegory, a theory confirmed by the directors Lilly and Lana Wachowski. Having trans representation in filmmaking is hugely important, but the Wachowskis are influential, regardless. They have an amazing ability to utilize a grungy, low-light look while also using plenty of color and innovative cinematography. Additionally, they're dedicated to telling stories that often go overlooked, which is shown in their most prominent TV show, Sense8.

Though Sense8 was canceled after season 2, it was an ambitious project that connected people across the globe, combining examples of different lifestyles with a sweeping adventure epic. The Wachowskis have always been comfortable working across genres, but The Matrix does exemplify many of their influences. All great directors are influenced by those who came before them, as that's how the language of cinema is built. Today, The Matrix is a frequently referenced film showcasing the impact of the movie and its directors.

2 The Marx Brothers

Horse Feathers (1932)

Although the Marx Brothers were not technically the directors of their films, they might as well have been. Some of the best comedians of all time, the Marx Brothers, transformed the characters they played in their acts into iconic archetypes of comedy. Each brother explodes on the screen but somehow never overtakes each other's star power, but elevates it. While many families went into show business together during their time, the Marx brothers were different. They've stood the test of time thanks to films like Horse Feathers, which places them in outlandish situations where they can't help causing hilarious trouble.

1 The Coen Brothers

No Country For Old Men (2007)

Choosing just one film by the Coen Brothers to rank above the others is almost too difficult a task, but No Country For Old Men might be the most perfect technically. No Country For Old Men is a violent film and features many actors that they have used in multiple films, but Javier Bardem shines in his terrifying role as Anton Chigurh. Though every Coen Brothers film shares common elements of Noir, Westerns, and esoteric dialogue, each is unique.

The writer-directors have a love and fascination with the American West. They explore this through twisting plots filled with bizarre characters. Much of their consistent style is thanks to frequent collaborations with famed cinematographer Roger Deakins. This isn't to say that their direction doesn't have its visual style. The Coens utilize harsh natural landscapes whenever possible and center how humans have adapted to the realities of nature as metaphors for their characters' actions and motivations.