‘Bros’ Hilariously Showcases Modern Romance
Starring Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Kristin Chenoweth, Debra Messing, Jim Rash, Harvey Fierstein, Bowen Yang, Guy Branum
Rated R
Comedy, Romance
Run time: 1 hr, 55 min
Directed by Nicholas Stoller
In theaters September 30, 2022
I didn’t think that in 2022, I’d be excited to see the first big-studio and big-budget gay romantic comedy, and yet here we are. I know it’s very much not the first media property to feature a gay couple, but other than The Happiest Season, I can’t think of many romcoms that got this much attention and focused on a same sex romance. It feels like something that should have happened long ago, but if it had, maybe we wouldn’t have gotten Bros. In an interview, Billy Eichner - one of the writers and the star of the film - said one of his goals was just to have people laughing for an hour and forty five minutes during a movie that was all about a gay couple. Well, Billy, I think you can mark this one off as a success, because I was cracking up for at least 2/3 of the film and some of that was even while tears filled my eyes from some of the more moving sequences and monologues.
Eichner is Bobby, a successful gay podcaster who enjoys the world of Grindr but not a relationship. He’s spent his whole life depending on no one but himself, and it would take a truly unique and incredible person to change that fact. That person may just be Aaron (Macfarlane). The two meet during a party at a club, and simultaneously click and spar with one another without missing a beat. Despite a few false starts, they spend a great deal of time together and struggle to know just what that means. Aaron seems to be Bobby’s biggest rival for the most emotionally unavailable gay man in New York City, and it is going to take a miracle - and some really sensible friends and family - for them to be able to make this work.
First and foremost, this movie is hilarious. Within three minutes, my friend and I were already giggling as witty quips weaved their way into the dialogue. I’ll admit, there were a few times where I had to resist an eye roll when some of the script sounded so cliche when said out loud. There were also a few moments that felt like we were being hit over the head with the meaning or significance of a relationship or experience like this. I also have to acknowledge that could be due to my privilege in being a straight white woman. I haven’t had to make nearly as many arguments for the right to be who I am. That aside, Bros is an absolute blast. It’s romantic, it’s heartfelt, it’s snarky and it’s realistic. Rather than view this love story through rose-colored glasses, it’s filled with mishaps, emotional setbacks and beautiful moments all in equal measure.
Like with most movies, I often feel like if roughly 15 minutes was trimmed off, it could be an even better film. Despite a few very fantastic - and utterly hilarious - moments involving Debra Messing as herself and an A+ role for Bowen Yang, the storyline about Bobby’s job felt a little short. The problem is - I don’t know what I would have recommended to make it land better. The romance, however, was pitch perfect, which is really the most important part. Eichner and Macfarlane had wonderful chemistry, and it didn’t take any real imagination to believe they had a pretty instantaneous connection. Ever since the success of films like Long Shot and Crazy Rich Asians, not even counting the overwhelming popularity of streaming romcoms, the genre has faced an incredible renaissance. Bros is a truly wonderful addition to this modern catalog of love stories.