AT THE MOVIES

by Isy Jordan

Bros
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Guy Branum, Miss Lawrence, TS Madison, and more.


Two men with commitment problems attempt a relationship.

I'm proud to tell you that I saw this one at the theatre on its first weekend. I'm a fan of Billy Eichner and was excited about the promos of the first gay rom-com. I wasn't disappointed.

Once upon a time, it was all about the romantic comedy. Films like When Harry Met Sally, You Got Mail, and My Best Friend's Wedding are few and far between now and while they were all charming and entertaining, let's be honest. There wasn't a lot of representation there for most. Maybe writers are afraid of comedies in today's climate?

Bros takes the risk and turned out to be a wonderful film that had me laughing and crying as much as any other films I've mentioned so far. It's got some problems and the relationship at the center of the film isn't entirely unfamiliar. Still, as a comedy, it works. It makes you laugh out loud several times.

It has a lot of heart.

What it says on the tin is pretty much it. Two gay men with commitment issues struggle to find love together. Eichner and Macfarlane as the couple at the center of the story had great chemistry and infused their characters with heavy doses of honesty and compassion. Yeah, it's bawdy humor but it's only funny because much of it is true. And you don't have to be part of the LGBTQ+ community to feel included. That's powerful.

The ending of the film couldn't seem to decide what it wanted to be but it was satisfying. There are many important messages in the film. A couple of provocative monologues had me in tears. While reviews on the film are largely divided, I enjoyed it. I'd like to see more like it. I'd recommend it for the performances, the way it stops you cold to consider things you never thought about before, and the laughs.

Isy