A comparison between the theatrical version and the extended version (both can be found on the American unrated 2-disc edition).

-theatrical version: 97:48 min (incl. end credits in NTSC)
-extended version: 105:32 min (incl. end credits in NTSC)

-8 altered scenes, two of them featuring alternative footage
-difference: 464,1 sec (= 7:44 min)

The movie

Two adults, both of them having children already, marry and start living in typical patchwork-families. Of course you can imagine that the cohabiting of the children is not always easy. "Step brothers" is telling this plot - except for the difference that the "children" are already 38 and 40 years of age and, additionally, are not weaned from living under the same roof as their parents. Thus the two "children" have never stepped out of their childhood.

So this movie does not want to be taken too seriously, but is to be understood as a cushy and light comedy in which the main actors have a jester's licence to act out childishly.
And if Will Ferrell takes over one of the parts, the cinemagoer should know in advance, what he is getting involved with. John C. Reilly, who has recently acted in more serious roles and lately did appear in Walk Hard, plays his counterpart. As has been mentioned in Ricky Bobby, there is chemistry between the two actors, even though the kind of humor definitely remains to be judged by the viewer. You can actually see that the two actors were having fun letting out the "child" once again

Judd Apatow (who else...?) produced the movie and Adam McKay directed it, who might be known to Ferrell-fans since his appearance in Ron Burgundy, and the already mentioned Ricky Bobby

The longer version

As every Apatow movie seems to be released in an extended version, it is not surprising that "step brothers" is, too. The US unrated dvd contains both movie versions; the 2-disc version used for this report additionally provides a digital copy of the extended version and more bonus footage.
The difference between the two versions are, however, not really spectacular. Almost nothing was altered, here and there some new plot scenes were added. Worth being mentioned is only the new sex scene between Dale (Reilly) and Alice, the wife of Brennan's (Ferrell's) arrogant brother Derek.

Run time is referring to the theatrical version in NTSC speed

Alternative footage
08:22-08:25
After Dale's (John C. Reilly) justification for having more ketchup on his meal an extension follows in the unrated version: Brennan (Will Ferrell) gets extra sauce and does not want to share with Dale.

At first the shot is a little bit longer; Nancy (Mary Steenburgen) says: "Dale, I don't know if you... You might wanna try this. I make a sauce, we call it fancy sauce..."

Brennan cuts in on her while he is taking the sauce: "For me.
Nancy continues: "...that Brennan really likes with his chicken nuggets."
And Brennan: "It's my fancy sauce."

Then Nancy says, while Brennan is taking one spoon after another: "Well, when Brennan finishes, I'll give you some of this, and it's...It's ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together, so..."
Brennan: "It's so good."
Dale becomes weak: “I want some fancy sauce.”
Brennan: "I'm not done using it."

Robter (Richard Jenkins) also remarks: “Looks good”

Dale: "Can I have fancy sauce?"
Nancy: "Of course. Of course."
Brennan: "I'm using it right now."
Nancy: "Okay. So let's just let him try some."
Dale: "Yeah, I really would like some."
Brennan: "Just one last spoonful."

Smoothly, Nancy takes the pot from Brennan away: "Hey, I think you've got enough there, Brennan."
She gives it to Dale: "It's ketchup and mayonnaise."
Dale smells snappy at it and hands it back disgustedly: "I don't like it. It smells weird."

Then Robert claims: "I'll try some."
He passes his plate to Nancy and asks: "You don't mind, do you, Brennan?"
But he does not like Robert’s idea and consequently shields the plate with his hand: "I'm not comfortable..."
Robert: "It's okay. It's probably not good on fish anyway."
Dale: "My dad's king of the castle, so if he wants fancy sauce, he should..."
Robert interrupts: "No, it's all right, Dale."

Nancy changes the topic of the conversation: "So you know what? Today, when you were driving around, Dale was telling me that he's really into kung fu, and I was telling him that you're really into kung fu as well."
Brennan: "I have a green belt. Read it and weep."
Dale: "I don't believe in belts. There should be no ranking system for toughness. But one time I wrestled a giraffe to the ground with my bare hands."
Robert replies immediately: "That's not true, Dale. Don't be ridiculous."
When Dale is deflatedly getting back to his meal, Nancy asks him: "So, Dale, what have you been working on recently?"

In the theatrical version there is a short alternative shot for a smoother transition instead; respectively, Brennan’s mother asks Dale from another perspective, what he has been working on.

The extended version is 100,4 sec. longer.




19:47

In the extended version, Nancy is being called during a conference and then drives home immediately, where Dale and Brennan are still fighting. Before the situation calms down, the dog of the family drags her down.

Nancy stands in the room in front of her colleagues and utters: "I think it's gonna go generic soon, okay?”, then the telephone rings.
She picks up the receiver: "Jules? Wait, what's wrong?"
Directly after that, you can see how she stops her car and heads for the step brothers.
You can hear Dale swearing “You touched my drum set, you fucker!” and Brennan, who is being hold in headlock by Dale, screams: "Rape! Rape! Rape!"
When Nancy approaches the two of them, Dale is yelling at her: Stay out of this Nancy!“
He pushes her back, and the dog attacks her; helplessly, she shouts: "Cinnamon! Stop it!"
Again you can see Brennan who is in Dale’s stranglehold. He whines: "My mom is being eaten by a dog, there's nothing I can do!"

Then the movie continues in the same way as it does in the theatrical version (the telephone call).


36 sec

20:03

After Robert hurries away, the scene of the extended version continues in the practice.

The doctor remarks to the secretary: “Family issues, huh…?”
She upbraids him: "I don't believe in talking about people's personal lives...behind their back."
The doctor answers in a dry sense of humour: "You know nobody likes you, right?"

9 sec.

41:02

In the extended version there follows another interview, after the two forced the decision of the man to choose between Oprah, Barbara Walters and his wife("You gotta fuck one, marry one, kill one. Go!").

The boss comments: "Mr. Huff, under your references, you listed Dale Doback..." - Brennan und Dale grinsen sich an - "...which I know is this gentleman, but you also listed Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior."
Brennan: "Yeah."
The Boss: "Yeah, we are looking for people we can contact."
Dale interrupts: "We wanna tell you the stuff we're not good at."
Brennan: "Our weaknesses."
Dale: "So we're clear up front."
The boss looks sceptical and Brennan starts: "We're not generally comfortable in an office setting, I would say. I won't go into an office that's ever been used before."
Dale: "I am no good before 11 a.m."
Brennan: "I also get headaches from computers, so I can't be around them too long."
Dale: "I take stuff."
Brennan: "I need someone to go up and down with me in the elevator."
Dale: "I have a weakness for sweets."
After the camera focused on the confused boss once more, Brendan goes on: "Other weaknesses? We're slow learners and we're not particularly good listeners."
Boss: "That'll be a huge problem."
And Dale remarks: "We're also slow learners."

48 sec

55:47

Before Dale raises his glass and continues with the presentation, Nancy and Robert have a quick conversation and Robert addresses some words to Derek.

Nancy: "What were Dale and Brennan doing with my video camera, do you know?"
Robert: "I have no idea. And frankly, I really don't care. So..."

He gets up and speaks with Derek: "I would like to say a few things. Derek, you are an outstanding young man, son. And I would like to say that this is the image I have: That sometimes when I'm making love to your mother and I realize that this is where you came from, that I'm so moved that I talked to my lawyer, and not only are you going to be in my heart forever, but you're going to be in my will, young man."
Ashamed, Nancy pushes him back into the seat and Derek remarks: "Robert, that was fucking awesome. You got a lot of this, buddy."
He tips on his heart and makes another gesture with his hands (see picture): "And you got a lot of these."
Robert says thanks and the presentation starts.

35,3 sec

55:55

You can see Dale a little bit longer in the extended version, after he said his name.
While Brennan is already testing the mic, Dale adds: "I'm Robert's other son, the biological one."
The following shot is taking place earlier.

3,6 sec.

Alternative Footage
63:31-63:53

You can find the greatest change of both editions in this scene. Only in the extended version Dale has sex with Alice while the others stay seated at the table. In the theatrical version, you the same footage (ordered differently), how she shows Dale the prepared plate. Whether or not they consummate the seduction, the viewer can guess only.


theatrical version

The camera focuses on the house as a whole in the evening, then the camera moves up from the balcony and shows the guys at the table.
Derek speaks: "So I put my lips around that breathalyzer and I saw those numerals pop up: 0.079."
Nancy and Brennan are looking in a shirty way.
While he continues talking without being in the picture, you can see how Alice places her Plate in Dale’s direction and then looks at him.
With her food she drew the sentence "Let's fuck right now!"

Extended version
The scene starts with a different view of the house during the day.
Derek is telling one of his stories at the table: "I mean, I was driving around with a buddy of mine, Topher. You guys remember Topher, right? Driving around, he has this brand-new Testarossa, right? We hit this four-point buck. Dead. Lying in the road. Long story short, we sue the state of Michigan. I end up getting 125 G's. Okay? You know what I spent that money on? Sniper rifle to hunt deer. Either way, the deers lose, my friends."
Brennan, Dale, Alice and Nancy, as well, are looking in a shirty way.
Then you can see in a different order the scene in which Alice is pushing the plate with the message on it to Dale.

Robert utters while looking on his plate: "Good riddance. Eat all the damn flowers, anyway."
Derek comments: "Sorry, everybody. If you'll excuse my space-cadet wife here. Let's just say the meds aren't helping."
Alice laughs artificially when she leaves and Derek adds: "I'm kidding. Kidding. But not at all."
Derek, too, now makes up a reason for leaving the dinner: "I have to get some more gravy.", while rapidly eradicating the message on the plate with his fork.
Nancy explains and points at the table: "Oh, Dale, it's right there."
Dale brusquely: "Shush up, Nancy. I have to get some more bread."
Nancy asks the other guys at the table confusedly: "What did I do to deserve that?
Dale runs through an adjoining room to the front door and across the yard.

Back at the table, the crabby Robert asks: any of us do to deserve anything? I pay enough taxes to support all these lazy goddamn liberals."

On the lawn Dale is spotted by the dog which is moving towards him. At the door, Dale tries to distract the dog.

Dale made it into the house and aks Alice who is standing in the room what she wants.
Alice runs into him and kisses him: "Merry Christmas, darling. Oh, that was torture. I couldn't eat another bite of turkey without thinking of you inside of me. Come on, let's try something illegal."

Back at the table Nancy asks: "So, Tommy, what did you get for Christmas?" "
Derel’s son Tommy answers: “Well, Santa brought me the Bowflex and $1000 in fresh-minted $50 bills."
Robert remarks: "Wanna know what I got for Christmas? A crushed soul."

Back in the other room, Dale is copulating with Alice from behind.
She is groaningly singing and Dale says: "Alice, please."
Alice: "Sing along, Santa. You know this song."

Sitting at the table, Nancy realizes the noise: "What is that noise?"
Brennan hesitatingly: "It's... This is the ghost."

Being back with Dale and Alice, he commands: "Just try to be quiet. Okay."
Alice: "You're right. You're right. We've got to be discreet."
After another impact she screams and glides to the door which then opens and the two of them are standing copulating right in front of the family dining at the table.

Dale asks confusedly: "Are you all still talking in here?"
Nancy: "What are you doing?"
Dale explains poorly: "Alice was moving a chair from the living room into the dining room...for an extra chair and her back went out. And I just did the best thing, which is get right on the muscles...so they don't seize up."
And Alice adds: "Just add some heat to it."
She groans a little bit more and Robert says: "Damn it, Dale, sit down."
Dale: "It's just a real deep, tight muscle."
Derek unimpressedly: "Hey, sweetie, can you grab me a beer?"
She answers in an overdone kindly way; "I'll get you another Heineken. Merry Christmas."



Nancy quickly changes the topic: "And how about you, Tiffany, what did you get for Christmas?"
Tiffany shows her necklace; "I got this Mikimoto pearl necklace. But next year I'm gonna ask Santa for breast implants...because I'm impatient with my body."
Again Robert comments: "Hey, Tiffany. Wanna know what I got? A crushed soul."
Tiffany: "You mentioned that earlier."

Anew, Dale and Alice break into the room, this time in another position.
Dale explains: "It's gone into a real bad spasm, so I put a yoga move on her.

Now a part of the material of the theatrical version follows.
Here too, the camera is moving from the long shot of the house up to the window and Derek says: "So I put my lips
around that breathalyzer and I saw those numerals pop up: 0.079."
After you saw the shirty Nancy, the scene does continue with an alternative shot of Derek, followed by an interested Robert, a bored Dale and Derek again and then finally the shot of the shirty Brennan.

The scene continues as the theatrical version from this point on (with Nancy interrupting)

Extended version 196,2 sec. longer




93:14
The shot is a little longer in the extended version, then the Stepp brothers take revenge on the leader of the kids, Chris Gardoski.

He appears and wants to run after the other kids.
Both brothers stop him with their arms and Dale asks: "Where do you think you're going?"
The boy pules: “Home.”
Dale: "We got something to show you."
In the next scene you can see Chris kneeing on the ground in front of a white piece of dog poo-poo, as Brennan could experience earlier in the movie.
Brennon yells: "You see that white dog crap?"
Dale again: "Do you see it?!"
Chris: "Yeah."
Dale: "Not too fun down there, is it?"
Chris pules: "No."
Brennan: "You see? Your actions have consequences!"
Dale: "When you oppress people, they rise up in a fiery anger!"
You see the frightened Chris at the bottom, but then they pick him up again, "Go home."
He runs for his life and Dale yells at him: "We're not like you. We're grown-ups, motherfucker!"
Brennan remarks: "Say hi to your dad. We went to high school together."

35,6 sec

thx @enemy