Film review: ‘BROS’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’
Bros, which was written by Billy Eichner (yes, Craig from Parks and Recreation) who also stars and Nicholas Stoller (who also directs) has been dubbed the first LGBTQI rom-com. Pasting a label on a film like that can feel a bit dubious but it does serve to remind us of one of the film’s key themes, the attempt by our culture, including popular culture, to diminish the presence of non-heterosexual people.
Eichner plays Bobby Leiber, a very bolshie and acerbic radio host and podcaster who presents a show called ‘The Eleventh Brick ‘which is dedicated to 1969 Stonewall Nightclub Inn protest. He’s also in the process of establishing the first LGBTQI history museum in New York. Uncomfortable with the idea of a long-term relationship, he’s content with numerous hook-ups on Grindr, that is until he encounters Aaron (Luke McFarlane) at a nightclub. Initially attracted by Aaron’s toned physicality and inability to keep his shirt on, Bobby soon forms a more emotional attachment. With Bobby priding himself on being an intellectual provocateur and Aaron having emerged from an ice hockey playing jock culture, all does not go smoothly.
The film pursues three strands: a rom-com, a pastiche of rom-com conventions and a slightly more serious examination of the LGBTQI fight for acceptance. As a rom-com/ pastiche, it’s occasionally quite funny, most of the humour coming courtesy of Bobby’s biting observations about popular culture as well as stereotypical gay and hetero attitudes. As an insight into what Bobby terms gay history, the film is informative (at least a little more so than the average rom-com) and at times moving.
Still, this film is fairly light in tone. It does mention, through reference to events like Stonewall, the often painful struggle LGBTQI people have been forced to wage but it’s mostly upbeat and fun and for the most part, tension and conflict is settled amiably or with a comical outburst from Bobby. It’s also literally bright as New York seems to be bathed in perpetual sunshine and it presents a mostly positive and certainly non-violent contemporary world. There are no aggressive homophobes here which might seem a little unrealistic but clearly Stoller and Eichner wanted to provide a vision of a better world.
The film largely revolves around Eichner who seems to have an endless reserve of energy as well as a vast repertoire of amusingly snarky sayings. Just when he’s becoming a little too acidic, Eichner shows the right amount of insight and compassion; a less deft performance could have made Bobby a little too contemptuous. Luke McFarlane gives Aaron a touching introspection while an enthusiastic supporting cast, which includes a few celebrity cameos, add to the film’s warmth and charm.
This mostly amiable film is a refreshing take on the rom-com genre and an important reflection on what are often damaging perceptions of difference. Hopefully, the world is becoming more enlightened to the point where a label like ‘LGBTQI rom-com’ won’t be necessary.
Nick’s rating: ***1/2
Genre: Drama/ comedy
Classification: MA15+.
Director(s): Nicholas Stoller.
Release date: 27th Oct 2022.
Running time: 115 mins.
Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.