Bros: Film Review
Bros didn’t do well at the box office in America and that really infuriates me because this movie is so, so good! I cannot recommend it enough.
The film stars Billy Eichner as podcast host and museum curator Bobby Lieber, a gay man who prides himself on being single and free while all his friends are settling down. This all changes when he bumps into Aaron Shepard (Luke Macfarlane) in a nightclub. Neither of them is looking for a relationship but at the same time, they can’t stop hanging out…
Bros is the first gay romantic comedy featuring an openly LGBTQ+ principal cast to be released by a studio and I can’t believe it has taken this long but it’s well worth the wait. It is the most hilarious romantic comedy of the year and one of my favourite movies of the year in general. I have honestly not laughed out loud that hard or that often at a movie in ages. I missed a few lines because I was laughing so heartily and I had a cheesy smile plastered on my face throughout.
This film’s biggest asset is the screenplay, written by Eichner and director Nicholas Stoller. It is so strong; all the jokes land, they are some zingy one-liners and some of the popular culture references are a stroke of genius. But it’s not a vapid comedy, there’s so much heart in here too and it takes an interesting look at what it means to be gay – can someone be “too gay” or not enough?
Some people might find Eichner’s character a little irritating because he is extremely neurotic, quite self-centred, an overthinker and he talks constantly. He feels vulnerable falling in love because it’s a new situation for him and he’s scared of getting his heart broken. Aaron is very masculine and appears straight (in Bobby’s words) and the insecure Bobby is convinced he’ll leave him for someone similar as he’s “too gay”.
The pairing of Eichner as the dorky, high-maintenance Bobby and Macfarlane as the hot, chilled Aaron is spot-on. They are so different and that’s what makes them so interesting to watch – opposites attract after all. SNL star Bowen Yang gets a standout scene as a potential investor in Bobby’s museum and Debra Messing is so funny playing a version of herself. There are a few other celebrity cameos so keep an eye out for those.
I can assure you that you will have the best time at the cinema watching Bros. It is such a joy. I loved this movie!
In cinemas from Friday 28th October