Starring: Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Guy Branum, Miss Lawrence, TS Madison, Dot-Marie Jones, Jim Rash, cameos by Debra Messing, Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Amy Schumer
Distributor: Universal Pictures International
Runtime: 115 mins. Reviewed in Nov 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Two men with commitment problems attempt a relationship.
Bros is billed and marketed as a gay romcom. In many ways it is. It is the work of comedian-writer-actor, Billy Eichner, intending to tell gay stories, wanting them to be in the public entertainment arena in the same way as straight stories. It does not quite work out that way.
Audiences will know where they stand and whether they want to keep watching during the first 15 minutes. It is quite in your face – direct, frank, and perhaps reinforcing the homophobic, but not entirely welcoming the broad audience.
For this reviewer and for many audiences, the issue is Billy Eichner himself. He is at the centre of the film, running his gay podcast with lots of followers, an entrepreneur on the board of setting up the first LGBTQI+ Museum in New York City. But, he is 40, lives alone, tells us that he has never loved anyone and does not expect to do so. And he talks, and he talks, and he talks. Strong ego. And, on his podcast, then in real life, he harangues everyone, he rants, is abrasive in his tone, and, in fact, is unlikeable. So, hard going as the film begins.
On the one hand, Bros is the story of Rob’s attraction for a lawyer, specialist in writing wills, Aaron who comes from upstate New York, is seen at the gay clubs, goes home with the various clients. But, Aaron (McFarlane) is much more sympathetic than Rob. The story tells the ups and downs of the relationship (sympathies with Aaron). The other part of the plot concerns the Museum, the meeting of the Board – a representative committee of gay, lesbian, and transgender people who are far more interesting than Rob. And he treats them like everyone else. (One does enjoy Rob’s comeuppance when he meets Debra Messing, pours out his troubles, and her response is to upbraid him, complaining that Grace is a character in a sitcom while all the gay men she meets want to ask her for advice and that she herself is more than that.)
There are actually some quiet romantic moments (when Rob pauses from talking). There are some comic moments in preparing the contents of the last wing of the Museum (and the ultimate visualising of what has been built). And, there are various quips, smart responses, and a lot of in-jokes with show business connections.
On the serious side there are sequences with Aaron’s mother and his about-to-be divorced brother concerning children, education and exposure to the complexities of sexual orientation. But, Rob can’t help himself, ranting against Aaron’s mother – with Aaron telling him (what we are all thinking) that he is relentless.
It would seem that this is a gay romcom (of the more promiscuous kind) that would resonate with New Yorkers and their culture rather than from quiet towns. It seemed a good idea to do some checking, looking at the blogs on the IMDb and discovering that most of them are negative towards Bros, complaining that the portrayals are not representative of most gay men, the bloggers wanting something more that they can identify with, and more subtly entertaining.
If only Rob were not so tiresome and wearisome for us all (as well as for Aaron who loves him).
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