Directed By Nicholas Stoller

Starring – Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Kristen Chenowith

The Plot – Two men (Eichner, Macfarlane) with commitment problems attempt a relationship.

Rated R for strong sexual content, adult language throughout and some drug use

Bros | Official Trailer [HD] – YouTube

POSITIVES

Sincerity and humor are the two most distinguishing traits that not only make “Bros” the perfect date night movie for all couples of every race and orientation, but also the next evolutionary step in pop culture depiction for gay representation. This opportunity stems in the direction of a romantic comedy, a genre whose prejudice to such an orientation is dissected thoroughly in a brilliant script from Eichner that sifts through many corresponding themes involving historical scrubbing, LGBTQ+ disconnect, gay depiction in cinema, and especially the rough and tumbling road of gay dating, which seems as scary and difficult now as it did thirty years ago at the birth of its cultural awakening. Eichner is wise enough to mostly incorporate satire to the many themes and elements he’s continuously spoofing, with an accuracy rating for gags that easily makes this the funniest film of the year, but one whose conscientious enough to maintain those aspects of importance in dramatic heft for the duo of romantic interests at the story’s forefront, who carry with them the immense responsibility of carrying the torch for those in the audience who are seeing themselves depicted for what could possibly be the first time in their lives. The film is a blast throughout its near two hour run time, a feat it earns every single minute of, and one that Eichner uses to vividly flesh out the diversity of his two leads, with all of their fears, neurocies, and ambitions. It’s refreshing that these two feels so diversely contradictory to one another, not only for the concept of opposites attract, but also to further endear us to the idea of the versatility of this population, making each of them feel every bit as lived-in as they do authentic in respective nuance. The dialogue itself further enhances this, with conversations that feel a bit too cool and honest for the romantic comedy subgenre, and with the element of the aforementioned abundance of humor at Eichner’s disposal, capably and confidently garners a punchline a minute that rivals “Family Guy” in terms of structure and even the crudeness of an R-rating that Eichner has no qualms about pursuing to the fullest extent. It’s easy to spot the influence of Judd Apatow in the producers chair because the film endures the same awkwardness in honesty that made Apatow a household name with films like “Knocked Up” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”, where the idea of this perfect idea of romance doesn’t exist as promoted in the media, and instead it’s those involved who endure the roughly arduous path of redundancy that tests and even strengthens the bonds that it influences. On the level of performances, Billy dazzles with a combination of razor-sharp wit, deconstructive cynicism, and revealing relatability that easily make him a captivating presence, but it’s only when Macfarlane’s Aaron comes into frame does the film radiate with the fireflies luminating them. Macfarlane’s insecurities and dependency on physique is the perfect counterpunch to Eichner’s overtly comfortable synergy, and when solidified with an unraveling in chemistry between them that permeates a filled void that each of them is supplanting towards the other, gives us one of the rare romances I wholeheartedly invest in and downright long for during moments of distancing. Finally, while the idea of tropes and cliches in a film are typically met with disdain from this critic, the idea of seeing the ages old formulas conceived through a progressive relationship is a wonderful irony to the many decades of film they’ve felt suppressed by. The music montages of connection, larger than life supporting ensemble, and unrestrained love sequences between the couple offer up the same kind of respect and vulnerability as their ages-old counterparts, proving them deserving, but even more important than that, full of the same feelings and emotions, that while different in corresponding struggles and growth, does connect us in the universal language of love that makes each of us weak in the knees when it hits the hardest.

NEGATIVES

One unfortunate aspect that comes with the many cliches and tropes that serve as a benefit to the genre’s formulaic qualities, is the unavoidable element of predictability that hinders the growth and at least momentarily underwhelms the dramatic impulses of the film’s more mature second half. This leads the script to directions that one could easily sniff out when given the pivotal details of the plot, but equally one that’s all the more frustrating when you consider Eichner is breaking down barriers in the concept but remaining faithful to the thousands of films that came before it. This is great for anyone who watches a romantic comedy to feel good and inspired about the highs and lows of love, but no more compelling to those of us who have endured a majority of these films and find their connective tissue between the best and worst ones a bit too kinetic for what a film like this deserves better from. Beyond this, my only other problem with the film was some sloppy edits, primarily during the second act of the film, that stand out as a bit distracting to a technical nerd like myself. This leads to continuity errors and inconsistencies between proximities and character placements, as well as awkward hemming during monologues deserving of uninterrupted focus to a particular character. These issues are probably not a big deal to the typical moviegoer, but to someone like me who studies every frame, and gets enveloped in the element of the environment, comes across as frequently distracting and frenetic during moments of intimacy deserving of focus.

OVERALL
“Bros” is a sweetly charming and intelligent gamechanger rom com, but beyond that a hilariously intimate depiction of gay relations in contemporary times, with all of the redundancies and vulnerabilities that the awkwardness of dating can possibly conjure. Eichner’s caustic wit breathes a pulse of originality to the genre that has most recently been missing since “500 Days of Summer”, and one that every side of the audience can wholeheartedly appreciate without prejudice.

My Grade: 8/10 or B+