Bros (I) (2022) User Reviews

Has Some Funny Moments

[evanston_dad · 6/10 · 5 December 2022]

This romcom about two forty-something gay men trying to decide whether or not they want to have a relationship has some funny moments and it goes down pretty easily over all. But I'm not sure it has enough funny moments to make up for Billy Eichner's obnoxious performance. His character is so strident, so angry, and so condescending that it's a real turn off to spend two hours with him. I didn't really care whether he found someone to love him, because I couldn't blame anyone for wanting to stay far away from him. I know as an openly out actor he has a great deal of passion for bringing gay stories into the mainstream, and I support that. And he does get one soliloquy in the movie that brilliantly makes people understand what it was like to grow up gay during a time when gays were marginalized at best and actually persecuted at worst. But no one wants to be talked at and lectured to for two hours, and that's what this movie feels like.

The highlight of the movie is a hilarious cameo by Debra Messing.

Grade: B.

Eh

[AtypicalAdventurer · 6/10 · 20 December 2022]

Ever since I knew I was gay, I've always been on the lookout for people of a similar nature, as humans naturally do. "Gay" people in film/tv have often been heavily stereotyped. EG the effeminate gay best friend, or the badass butch lesbian who is just one of the boys.

While bros does try a little bit harder to break through the stereotyped glass ceiling, it still falls into that category of trying so hard to be gay that it feels unrelatable to most gay people, and no doubt straight people as well.

It's not a bad movie and is quite entertaining, and is worth the watch for those elements. But a core idea of this movie is the normalisation of sexuality with society, which is something it fails to do.

Normalisation occurs when we have love stories between peole who happen to be gay, like Brokeback Mountain. A character's sexuality should not be the driving force behind the movie; the characters should be interesting in themselves in a variety of ways.

I wanted to love this but couldn't.

[preppy-3 · 6/10 · 1 October 2022]

The first gay rom com released by a major studio. It's about two gay men cynical Bobby (Billy Eichner) and laid-back easy going Aaron (Luke Macfarlane) who both have commitment issues. They fall in love and decide to try it...but can they work through their issues?

As a gay man I'm all for a gay rom com. Also Eichner and Macfarlane are openly gay actors. I wanted to love this but couldn't. It's well-done and I did laugh out loud more than once and there's plenty of guy on guy kissing. Also Macfarlane is VERY handsome and in great shape but I couldn't stand Eichner. He's unattractive and so mean and vicious that I got tired of him really quick. More than once I wondered why Macfarlane's character didn't just slap him silly and walk away. Yeah he changes at the end but by then it was too little too late. So I recommend it (sort of) and hope it's successful enough to pave the way for better gay movies.

A plotline that is harmful to young gay men

[breadandhammers · 21 October 2022]

I am happy that Bros exists. It is very important for the film industry to advance forward in telling stories that we haven't seen before. However, despite being a gay man, this movie just wasn't made for me. Bros is written from a very specific segment of gay life - a very mainstream, White, six-pack-chasing, muscle-worshipping, circuit-partying segment of gay life that I am not a part of. Beyond that, Eichner's taste and conception of what a rom-com should be is just not to my liking. I believe a rom-com should be hopeful and sweet. A kind of movie you would want to watch while going through a breakup to make you believe in love again. Bros is entirely bitter and cynical, even to the very end, where Bobby pledges his eternal love for...three months. It is shocking - to me - that a rom-com can be so bitter and cynical.

There's another aspect here that I can't get over. This movie tries to deconstruct the superficiality of gay culture, but it really just ends up upholding it. Throughout the movie, Aaron the Jock Bro love interest is seen as sexy and desirable. Halfway through, Bobby walks in on him shooting up steroids (sorry, "testosterone") to maintain his perfect, Adonis body. Aaron dismisses it as "everyone does it". At this point in the movie, I thought, "Oh boy, here we go. We're about to deconstruct the Jock Bro stereotype that the gay community obsesses over, and how Aaron maintains it, and the cost of it". Nope. It's never mentioned again. In fact, later in the movie, Bobby - so casually! - does steroids and the joke is that it doesn't work for him.

Look I don't want to be a buzzkill. As an adult, I know that steroids are stupid and this bit is satire. (Although, I think it's entirely unsuccessful satire). But, what would a terrified, insecure gay 13 year old think about this? I know that if I were 13 I would have thought, "Oh gee, I thought steroids were bad, but hey look the Jock Bro Love Interest that is super desirable that all the boys chase after is doing it and he seems to be ok! I wonder if I should do steroids when I grow up!". I can't underscore how much harm I think this particular plotline does to young gay people.

Billy needs to stick to being the annoying supporting character.

[matt-27634 · 6/10 · 22 October 2022]

Marketed as the first gay romantic comedy to get a theatrical release (which Fire Island would dispute), Bros is meant to be groundbreaking. Is it? In my opinion no.

It's your average rom com with a storyline thats been done dozens of times. It felt very similar to Bridesmaids and Trainwreck, which makes sense given its producer and director.

Whilst it's modern and satirical, it's at times too obvious in its attempts to be clever. At first I enjoyed them poking fun at 'hallmark' movies but they took it too far and it soon lost its appeal.

My biggest gripe with the film is it's lead Billy Eichner. He is a polarizing person, and in this film he basically plays himself. I could see he was trying to show off his acting chops with lots of dialogue but I didn't really buy him as a leading man. Luke Macfarlane's character was more likable, but overall basic, underdeveloped and one note.

Some comical moments but it's not the laugh out loud comedy that I was hoping it would be.

Well-executed, touching

[RES55 · 9/10 · 22 October 2022]

"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

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 20 October 2022]

As a man who really struggles with romcoms at the best of times, I was rather nervous about this. Actually, though, it steers clear of some (though not all) of the gay stereotypes and presents us with a genuinely quite funny love story about two forty-somethings who meet in a nightclub. One, "Bobby" (Billy Eichner) is a ordinary looking, gobby podcaster and activist who is trying to raise the money needed for an American National LGBTQ+ museum. The other is "Aaron" (Luke Macfarlane) - a lawyer who spends a fair amount of time on the cross-fit. They wouldn't appear to be the most natural of fits but a series of brief encounters on their opening night coupled with a fair degree of sarcasm and a kiss sets the tone for what happens next. Certainly, anyone who has a Dekkoo subscription will have seen the format before - and often, and this doesn't really vary the theme much. What does make this different is the characters have much more depth. Their relationship is never going to be straightforward and though sometimes delivered via annoyingly angry monologues, the character of "Bobby" makes some fairly profound and well reasoned arguments about the constraints history has imposed on people of differing sexualities over the years. Eichner is effective as a man who uses his sharp and pithy tongue to prove the best form of defence is attack, Macfarlane proves to be far more than the man with the muscle, and the writing from the former and director Nicholas Stoller clearly demonstrates that both men have skin in this particular game. Experience has clearly informed and fuelled this creative process. It can be a bit hit or miss, especially the third quarter when it all becomes a bit contrived, but the ending redeems it rather - if only for the pure schmaltz of the serenade - and I rather enjoyed it. It sure doesn't need a cinema screening, but it is entertainingly provocative at times. The BBFC slide at the top warned of "strong sex". Clearly they have never watched "Theo and Hugo" (2016) because there is nothing at all visual in this that could conceivably cause offence; even the language is comparatively mild.

Toxic lecture seminar

[PrinceCharmingHere · 3/10 · 1 January 2023]

Ugh... as a gay man, I'm disappointed. I'm giving this a 4/10 for representation, and that's it. Billy Eichner's character is the worst possible gay man to lead this movie. He's so unlikeable, and I wanted to turn the movie off two minutes in! There is zero warmth to his character. All he does is preach, and the story is riddled with gay cliches and tropes, but ramped up 100%. It's like one long Family Guy episode spoofing gay dudes. It's embarrassing to think that this is what straight people will think all gay men are; vapid, annoying, preachy *holes. Cis gay white men are apparently the devil of gay culture (shocker). There are gay history lessons left and right. Like, why?? Literally every story beat goes back to being gay. Gay gay gay. Gay this and gay that. Gay. Oh, gay? Gay. Gay. Gay. Yes, gay. Someone should count the number of times the words gay and straight are used. If you're not flamboyant or annoying or don't know any Mariah Carey songs and not "gay acting" and instead "straight acting" you're boring, unless you're hot. If you're hot and ripped, you're an idiot. Like, come on! Billy is the most insecure gay man on the planet. His personality is horrible, mean spirited, cold and reminds me of Jeffrey Dahmer. The story sucks and isn't even funny and is completely judgemental. It's tragic that young gay teens will watch this and think it's inspirational. Oh, and the digs at Schitt's Creek... lol. He's trying so hard to be Dan Levy, but lacks his charisma and talent. Don't waste your money. It's so cringe. This movie deserved to bomb because it sucks! It could have been fun and iconic like Bridesmaids if it was in more competent and talented hands, bro. Oh, and the sex scenes suck.

A film for "outsiders' at heart

[sherylchilders82 · 8/10 · 14 October 2022]

I am writing this review because there are so many hateful ones, while the ratings are overall good. And, as a person that rated this highly, it seems needed. I don't love most of the actors in this film. The cameos toward the end and the costars aren't my favorites, nor do I dislike them either. I didn't watch Will & Grace and didn't care for Debra Messing's last sitcom. But, this film came together beautifully. It's honest, and even though it's a romantic comedy about the struggles of being gay and having gay relationships, the themes can be appreciated by everyone.

Is there gay sex? Yes. Social commentary that will make the most "liberal" of people squirm a bit? Absolutely. But, come on. Some people aren't in on the joke. Like most straight people didn't have weird sex and sleep around at some point in their life. This overcompensation of acceptance and openness in the gay community is 100% real and it's purpose is the main theme here. As long as LGBTQ is suppressed and "toned down", the louder they get.

Let's not pretend that all LGBTQ people are really "cool" with being out and proud. That's the whole point. As is said, they are not a monolith. The differences played up between the two main love interests are archetypes of exaggerated characters on purpose. Maybe Eichner is this way in real life and this movie is his semi-autobiography about his struggles, but I certainly did NOT take away that all gay men were like this or should be like him. If people didn't get that this is a movie dedicated to all people who are different, I suggest they re-watch his beach monologue, which I very much connected with, despite being straight and female. I think it's more about discrimination in general, than just specifically about all gay people.

I know not all LGBTQ people and allies will necessarily like this movie. My aunt was gay, and I suspect she would be uncomfortable by it. But, she was from Nebraska, enjoyed football, and to her dying day, despite having been married to a woman and divorced, called her girlfriend her "roommate". Let's face it, despite being relatively tolerant of LGBTQ these days, even most liberal people don't "really" want their lives out in the open, even and perhaps even more so, conservative gay people themselves. This is completely understandable, given the history of how they've been treated.

That being said, Bros does serve up some controversial stereotypes, real or not for many gay men. And, it's entirely appropriate as the first gay rom-com, to be very aggressively gay in every way. Many (especially conservatives) will squirm and huff, and I secretly find that funny.

Disappointment so average

[tm-sheehan · 6/10 · 21 October 2022]

My Reviews. - Review Bros

My Rating 6/10

Bros is the latest LGBTQI rom com movie with some amusing moments some interesting brief cameos from Harvey Fierstein as Louis and Debra Messing as herself some eye candy from Luke Macfarlane as Aaron the buff half of this romantic duo . Unfortunately his other half Bobby played by Billy Eichner who co wrote Bros with the Director Nicholas Stoller is one of the most irritating gay characters I've seen on screen in a long while.

It's Billy the character I found annoying not Billy Eichner because the character is far to "woke ". I'm saying that as a mature age gay man that has experienced much of the LGBTQI history that Bobby Leiber constantly refers to preserving in the movie . I'm probably out of synch with terms like Cisgender, Gender Variant, Gender fluid and all the other current correct pronouns .

The plot is understandably simple for a rom-com it revolves Bobby Leiber, a born and bred New Yorker who hosts a queer history podcast called 11th Brick (because as a cis white gay man that's probably the brick he'd have thrown at Stonewall) .

Billy as the director of the first national LGBTQ history museum is raising money for The LGBTQI plus History Museum in New York . His passion is LGBTQI + history and is passionate about the lack of truth in historical characters and what he perceives to be there "gayness" characters like President Abraham Lincoln.

Billy meets his opposite in temperament and physical appearance handsome Aaron and the differences in their interests and social compatibility threaten to end their most important togetherness gift which is they make each other happy.

Bros has been heavily marketed as the first American gay romantic comedy from a major studio featuring an entirely LGBTQ principal cast (though Fire Island (2022) -also an gay romantic comedy from a major studio featuring an LGBTQ principal cast -was released earlier in the same year .

Fire Island did not get a full theatrical release like Bros and in my opinion is a much better movie with more believable characters .

I hope this film succeeds as we do need more LGBTQI movies for our community to relate to unfortunately I was disappointed with this movie as I found there was to much emphasis on political correctness and more joke less woke was needed.

If the Producers are just targeting an LGBTQI plus audience that's ok but I doubt very much that there is much in this movie for a wider audience which is where our stories should be inclusive .

Perhaps it our LGBTQI culture in Australia that's different to America ,perhaps I just missed the point ? But Bros just didn't hit my funny bone at all.

I think Billy is the problem

[partymouse-48811 · 4/10 · 6 October 2022]

I went into this movie with no real expectations except from enjoying some of the directors previous comedies. The only real problem I had with this movie was Billy. His character is not likable and there were several times throughout the film where I wondered why anyone would want to be in a relationship with this person. I was not familiar with the other actor who played his boyfriend in the movie but he did a phenomenal job and was very sympathetic and portrayed aside of gay men that I do not see on film very often. Billy's character is catty, insecure, and loud. He's not sympathetic. I don't know if another actor could've pulled this off better, but Billy was definitely the problem with this movie. Which is funny because he wrote the movie for himself and portrayed himself as the least likable character in the entire film.

Funny as much as it is endearing

[klwalthour · 8/10 · 22 October 2022]

This film is an honest depiction of a modern gay relationship. Billy Eichner provides insight into a relatively simple gay life experience that movies graze over in favor of "gay trauma". There is none of the gay trauma Hollywood banks on. Eichner is very aware of the tropes and is keen on avoiding them, even poking fun at these common depictions. Luke Macfarlane stole the show for me. He was compelling, raw and perfectly believable in his role as a charming yet misunderstood "bro". This film is definitely worth it. The plot is solid, the acting is good (albeit Eichner is an earful and some scenes are his personal rantings that he wants an audience for, but he's introspective too, to a fault some would say). There's charm, satire, sexiness, romance and drama. Everything needed in a classic rom com.

A Gay "Annie Hall"

[collegeforall · 7/10 · 21 September 2022]

A little while into this movie I realized it was a gay version of "Annie Hall." Nerdy Jewish guy who's always going on about things meets attractive (gorgeous in this case) but a bit personally awkward goy guy with whom he has an on and off relationship. Opposites attract, lots of fumbling, New York surroundings, very awkward dinners with friends and handsome guy's family where nerdy guy goes over the top being politically gay. (Thinking of Annie's stolid WASP family seeing Alvie as a Hasidic Jew during Thanksgiving.) I may be being to harsh but Billy Eichner, like Woody Allen write the movie so gave himself the lead. We'll, that said, I enjoyed most of the film. Some very funny moments that send up over-sensitive blocs in the lgbtq community, some sharp writing, fun cameos by Debra Messing, Bowen Yang, and Harvey Fierstein, and the easy on the eyes Luke Macfarlane, plus a steamy yet funny sex scene (with actors chastely still wearing their boxers and no sign of arousal) put this in the fun movie category. I'd have appreciated less Eicher bitching about everything and more character development but on the whole a funny and entertaining movie with a full roster of actors of all backgrounds. I don't get the title, though; seems to point in another direction.

Don't Speak For Me

[UltraMaximal · 1/10 · 3 October 2022]

As a 56 yer old gay male I found this time to be very embarassing and stereotypical. It does not represent me or most of the gay males I know orr have known throughout my life, even after living in San Francisco for 23 years. It's just in bad taste in so many ways. The drug use, the overblown effemininity, rampant sex . All of it was just discouraging.

I now see that those involved are crying phobia and victimization. That certainly isn't the case. They made a mediocre film about a very streamlined and targeted demographic aimed at a limited interest audience. Plain and simple.

It's a simply boy meets boy loves story wrapped in sad attempts at humor by marginalizing everyone who isn't a male even though 90% of males in the film act nelly and effeminate. I really thought the gay community was past this. But the creators of this horror show have shown me that we haven't.

Neither charming nor funny

[ciffou · 28 October 2022]

Billy is no Julia Roberts in "My best friend's wedding". He can't pull off being neurotic yet charming. I struggled during the first 45 minutes wondering if I should turn my TV off or carry on. You only have to see the first five minutes to understand why Luke McFarland's character would ask him to tone it down during a family meeting (with relatives that look nothing like each other). You just can't root for this very annoying leading man, who is skeptical but chooses a restaurant with live dance and songs as a good spot for a family outing. The gag is the music during awkward moments. Funny!

For a movie that keeps making fun of Hallmark movies, they really needed to be more self-aware.

The editing is also really bad. It looks like a Netflix reality where it's painfully obvious that close-ups were part of a different take.

It seems like they came up with sketches or gags first and then they wondered how they could put them all together through a needlessly long story. Most of the artists are overacting as if that would make this funnier.

Luke is decent enough in his performance, but he has been better in other things.

Enjoyable romantic comedy

[mb_cine_films · 7/10 · 8 November 2022]

I enjoyed Bros in spite of the so-called stereotypical portrayals of the characters in this film - it is a comedy. Those who are gay like myself and found the characters over the top I raise awareness to those comedies (admittedly on the small screen such as Friends and Will And Grace. Both have heterosexual characters and scripting both of which are hyper real and maybe stereotypical.

I found Bros entertaining (and romantic comedies are not up there as a favourite genre) and it managed to touch on some deeper stuff as well. It's a comedy and the sort of comedy like screwball which has elements that are hyper real. I thought it moved along nicely. I found myself having a chuckle more often than not in that very special atmosphere like no other - viewing a film in a dark cinema with a heap of other viewers which to me creates its own unique viewing experience.

The perfectly imperfect life story

[jessicawideman · 8/10 · 15 September 2022]

I REALLY enjoyed this movie!!!! It made you think about what is happening in the world today while also providing the necessary comedic relief during a somewhat heavy movie!! The feels we're there and everything was laid bare during this movie about love and what it means to be part of the LGBTQ+ community!!!!! I would HIGHLY recommend this movie to everyone as it's one that calls out the faults of society while also showing the improvements that have already been made! If I could change one thing, I would add Stanley Tucci somewhere in this cast as he would be an amazing fit for this movie!! Overall, absolutely beautiful movie that was perfectly cast and shows a message that really impacts people everywhere!!!!!!

Not quite as groundbreaking as it thinks it is

[cardsrock · 6/10 · 23 March 2023]

Your enjoyment of this film will very likely hinge on how long you can tolerate Billy Eichner and his shtick. He is almost unbearable at the onset of the film, and while he gets better as it progresses, he can still be difficult to root for. Bros also tries its hardest to push its way out from the rest of the pack, but falls back on lots of genre conventions.

There are some genuinely clever bits strewn throughout and I found myself actually amused more than I expected. The film can be pretty in your face at times, largely due to Eichner and his towering personality, however Bros shines when it showcases its two leads' chemistry and rapport.

I really wanted to love this movie

[pfpolidori · 1/10 · 3 October 2022]

As a gay man, I was looking forward to the first release of a same-sex RomCom from a "major studio".

Instead, the film turned out to be cinematographic masturbation for the writers, who constantly self-indulge in their own narrow-minded views of what being gay means.

There are a couple genuinely funny moments, but most of it is the gay version of "basic". The characters are flat, the story is conventional, and the narcissism is relentless.

To add insult to injury, the bi, lesbian, and trans characters are painfully stereotyped and used for cheap laughs.

If anything, this movie sets the LGBTQ+ community back. We deserved better for the "first gay romcom from a major studio".

The fact that critics loved this movie is baffling, at best.

I enjoyed it!!

[thatsme10101010 · 10/10 · 9 October 2022]

As someone in the community, I thought it was sweet and heartfelt. Seeing various forms of dating in their friends made it feel representative while still focusing on the one story they were telling.

It's not perfect, but few romcoms are.

And we should be able to have stories about us that are imperfect or aren't exactly how every person in the community lives. This is just a segment, as every movie is.

The LGBTQI people all up in arms and discrediting what they did here seem to mostly be upset that this is not how they live. It's not how I live, but it's how a lot of my friends live, it's how a lot in the community live, they're only telling one story between two people here, I think people are forgetting that.

Can't we just accept something for what it is and celebrate the good in it without finding something to be OUTRAGED about constantly? The culture we live in is exhausting.

The movie has me thinking over a week later. I enjoyed it and will watch it again.

Pretty funny.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 23 June 2023]

Bobby and Aaron, two single gay men in their 40's learn that there's more than just a sexual spark after booking up, that there's the chance for both of them of something resembling commitment.

I genuinely wanted to love this movie, and it's one that will probably deserve a second viewing, I did enjoy it, I'm just not sure I can see a broad mainstream appeal, it still feels a bit niche.

I think it definitely shows that relationships among gay men are truly not the same as those for straight couples, it is a very, very different world, with a very different set of rules.

There are several studios running that have produced gay themed films for years, there haven't been that many from the big players, this film certainly looks big budget, it's immaculately produced, it looks polished.

Some scenes are very funny, I really enjoyed the meetings, great bunch of characters. Of course it features an array of sexy scenes,

The acting is good, I personally liked Eichner, yes his character is totally obnoxious, but trust me, such people do exist. Macfarlane was really good, definitely a guy with a broad appeal (and jaw line.) Look out for plenty of cameos from well known faces.

There are stereotypes, but arguably some are being sent up in very well spirited, tongue in cheek fashion, it's more than aware of some of the more outrageous aspects of modern gay life.

Well meaning and pretty funny.

7/10.

Absolutely Embarrassing Film - A Disgrace to LGBTQ+ Community

[paulbrobertson · 1/10 · 2 October 2022]

I'm a gay man, and this film disappointed me in every way possible. I love Billy on the Streets and think Eichner is very talented. This film, however, is an excruciating misfire. And I mean EXCRUCIATING.

Eichner has created one of the worst lead characters ever presented in a film. His character is an annoying shrew when literally does not shut up for the entire movie.

The plot is terrible. The romance is completely unbelievable. The jokes fall flat even as Eichner prattles on.

I'm a huge movie buff, and I cannot remember the last time I saw a movie this awful in a theater. I really can't.

MacFarlane is wooden and cannot act. Not that the script gives him anything to do but say unbelievable things and flex his muscles.

And Eichner thinks that progressive is simply bashing everything that came before this film simply because straight actors were involved. His character just pokes and pulls and picks everything apart, and the movie is obsessed with how "smart" he is. It's unwatchable.

There is no character development. Scenes go on for way too long. The film could have been cut to less than 90 minutes and nothing would have been lost.

Critics are rating this highly because it's progressive. Love, Simon is a million times better. So is Bokeback Mountain and Heartstopper on Netflix.

I hated, hated, hated this movie.

A Great, Hilarious, Although Cheesy Rom-Com

[kjproulx · 8/10 · 19 October 2022]

Mainstream Hollywood comedies almost seem to be a thing of the past. It seems that writers just seem unsure of what's funny these days or simply don't want to take a risk. This is why I was very excited when I heard a movie like Bros would be coming out. The first big Hollywood gay rom-com to hit the big screen felt huge and sadly, nobody is checking it out. While it's not a perfect film and while you've seen stories like this (gay or straight), this is still a very good movie and a hilarious comedy. Bros won't be able to appeal to everyone, but here's why It deserves way more attention than it's currently receiving.

Based heavily around the LGBTQ+ group and involving two men in Bobby (Billy Eichner) and Aaron (Luke MacFarlane) as they do their best to find love, this film is quite simply just a story of two guys who can't seem to commit to anyone. Finding each other sparks real happiness back into their lives and it was very nice to see. This is a very raunchy comedy and it's been a while since a good one has been released. As far as Rom-Coms or straight-up comedies go, this may just be the best one of 2022. I laughed a lot during this film and it also tugged on my heartstrings, so it was a win all around for me.

I think Bros is great, but where it does lack is in its third act. The first half of the film is all about embracing the fact that it's about two gay men and the humour is all spot on. It also didn't feel conventional at all throughout the first two acts, which I was loving. The third act does become very cliched and even goes through some cheesy montages that feel like they would be plucked out of a 90s or early 2000s Rom-Com, which felt out of place. This film didn't feel like that when it got started, so those moments were a little jarring, even though still enjoyable because I liked the characters.

In the end, this film doesn't intentionally hit you over the head with gay or straight humour, but rather just embraces the film that it is. The humour against straight people is absolutely hilarious and I even enjoyed learning more about this community. I also had no idea that Nicholas Stoller directed this film and also had a hand in writing with Billy Eichner. One of my favourite comedies if Forgetting Sarah Marshall and he also worked on great, fun comedies, like Get Him to the Greek and Neighbors. He clearly still has a knack for making great comedy and I'm happy he's still out there doing his thing. Billy Eichner and Luke MacFarlane are terrific together and as long as you're not against this type of film, I think you'll highly enjoy it, as I did. Bros is more than worth watching.

Sadly disappointed

[cocomuk88 · 6/10 · 3 October 2022]

I don't want to leave a cliche review so I'm going to try my damnedest not to...

I'll start by saying I love Billy on the street and Billy Eichner. He's unapologetically himself in a modern world where personality is dated, he just doesn't care. I can relate to that.

Next I'd like to say, as a millennial who was OBSESSED with rom-coms, as that's primarily what was in fashion during my coming up-it's I know a fair amount of what those are and take to be good.

This missed the mark. Big time.

I went in like everyone who opts to see this movie with an open mind. I was along for the ride and it was a fairly pleasant one for the majority of the first third. Plenty of familiar archetypes of the genre and community. Things that anyone would get a laugh out of I did. There were moments when I existentially felt vulnerable and even thought to myself, this must be what heteronormative people have felt for decades during it. Which was strange and oddly life affirming. This is all the good I took from it.

Billy played himself, mostly because that's all he can play. And okay well. So Billy, was Bobby, of course. I'm sure that was even his idea. And it was a good one but the major problem lies in the fact that who Billy is as a person is not what a romantic comedy person is. He should have played and made the character something else. They went so far and made an entire over extended dialog to try and explain and justify him for what he is which seems more about his personality disorder than his sexuality. They should have promoted it for that instead really. They might have got more people to watch. More people can relate. The scene I'm talking of on the beach is when the entire thing took a nose dive and I felt so anxious and uncomfortable the entire rest of the movie until the end when they reach a resolution. Endings in rom- coms should be peaceful and I continued feeling on edge until the final song. It ruined it.

There were a lot of tropes and moments where I did feel like I was in a time warp to easier times in the 90s. Moments with slow mo, popular beloved love songs, etc that I appreciated and felt like a bear hug (no pun intended) but all and all this movie is so prickly. It doesn't give you that warm feeling expected and as much as a Billy fan I am it's because of him.

Yet another film that plays on every negative stereotype of gay men

[pappysprite · 1/10 · 2 October 2022]

I find movies like this extremely disappointing as they showcase gay men as nothing more than bitchy, negative attitude queens that sleep around like animals. Once again absolutely no substance. Will there ever be a comedy or other movie otherwise that will show gay men capable of monogamy and shown in a positive light?

There were positive, affirming messages in the movie however. It is nice to see support for the LGBTQ community and some of the supporting characters were very funny.

The lead actor was terrible in my opinion. His acting was sub par and his character had an ugly personality, who was very negative all the time. What's not to love?