"Bros" received a lot of hype as the first "honest" Hollywood rom-com about gay men. It includes aspects of our history (from excellent LGBTQ historian Eric Cervini and filmmaker/historian Jennifer Olson), dialog about issues in the LGBTQ community, and current personal issues with which gay men are dealing. It may take on too much, with perhaps insufficient time to provide context about ongoing--and currently, ramped-up--oppression and our responses to it. Or perhaps the filmmakers are trying to keep things from being too depressing.
"Bros" has far more emotional complexity and seriousness than most rom-coms, the principal characters' development often quite moving. It burlesques gay male stereotypes: appearance-obsessed, steroid-using gym bunnies who separate their emotional and sex lives. But these tropes are countered immediately with men moving on with their lives, happily in love, thrilled to become parents, and living a deeper existence. The stereotypes are shown for what they are as the film progresses. In fact, the main character, played by Billy Eichner, yearns for a caring relationship, at first stating disingenuously that he is content with his split reality: friends he loves and strangers for sex. Co-writer Eichner names his character "Bobby Leiber," a conscious (if unsubtle) effort to reveal who he truly is: "leiber" means "dear" and the first syllable, pronounced throughout as "lieb," is German/Yiddish for "love." Bobby's veneer of wordy cynicism is soon removed. Wishful thinking about straight people is shown hilariously when they are more comfortable around gay men and discussions of gay sex than one ever encounters in life. The characters continue to deepen, most apparently during a three-minute monologue at about 61 minutes, as Bobby describes his life struggles in a way that any gay man would recognize.
The film has genuine humor, real sweetness, lovely acting (Luke MacFarlane's varied, affecting performance stands out), and deals with real issues, however caricatured (it is a comedy, after all). Love happily does win out, the ending scenes perhaps a bit cliche but quite touching nonetheless. Remember that we seldom see this sort of happy ending for gay male characters; indeed, at one point, after watching a gay-themed film, Bobby says "straight people just like to see us miserable."
People complain about Billy Eichner's abrasive screen presence, but he uses it only as a starting point to show the development of his character. Critics applauded the film but it was not a box-office success. One hopes it has found a lasting life on disc because it bears repeated viewings. Much of it is genuine and very moving. And where else will one find a film where everyone is played by out LGBTQ actors, even the straight characters?
Hundreds of gay-themed films may be more nuanced and varied in portraying LGBTQ lives. But "Bros," made on a big budget, is a rom-com in a class of its own. It is savvy, well-written, well-informed, touching, and includes cameos by important figures like Harvey Fierstein as well as Everett Quinton, co-founder of the late great Charles Ludlam's brilliant Ridiculous Theatrical Company. It is clearly a labor of love.
"Bros" has far more emotional complexity and seriousness than most rom-coms, the principal characters' development often quite moving. It burlesques gay male stereotypes: appearance-obsessed, steroid-using gym bunnies who separate their emotional and sex lives. But these tropes are countered immediately with men moving on with their lives, happily in love, thrilled to become parents, and living a deeper existence. The stereotypes are shown for what they are as the film progresses. In fact, the main character, played by Billy Eichner, yearns for a caring relationship, at first stating disingenuously that he is content with his split reality: friends he loves and strangers for sex. Co-writer Eichner names his character "Bobby Leiber," a conscious (if unsubtle) effort to reveal who he truly is: "leiber" means "dear" and the first syllable, pronounced throughout as "lieb," is German/Yiddish for "love." Bobby's veneer of wordy cynicism is soon removed. Wishful thinking about straight people is shown hilariously when they are more comfortable around gay men and discussions of gay sex than one ever encounters in life. The characters continue to deepen, most apparently during a three-minute monologue at about 61 minutes, as Bobby describes his life struggles in a way that any gay man would recognize.
The film has genuine humor, real sweetness, lovely acting (Luke MacFarlane's varied, affecting performance stands out), and deals with real issues, however caricatured (it is a comedy, after all). Love happily does win out, the ending scenes perhaps a bit cliche but quite touching nonetheless. Remember that we seldom see this sort of happy ending for gay male characters; indeed, at one point, after watching a gay-themed film, Bobby says "straight people just like to see us miserable."
People complain about Billy Eichner's abrasive screen presence, but he uses it only as a starting point to show the development of his character. Critics applauded the film but it was not a box-office success. One hopes it has found a lasting life on disc because it bears repeated viewings. Much of it is genuine and very moving. And where else will one find a film where everyone is played by out LGBTQ actors, even the straight characters?
Hundreds of gay-themed films may be more nuanced and varied in portraying LGBTQ lives. But "Bros," made on a big budget, is a rom-com in a class of its own. It is savvy, well-written, well-informed, touching, and includes cameos by important figures like Harvey Fierstein as well as Everett Quinton, co-founder of the late great Charles Ludlam's brilliant Ridiculous Theatrical Company. It is clearly a labor of love.