Bros Review

*Not much to spoil here…

IMDB Synopsis

Bobby is a neurotic podcast host who’s happy to go on Tinder dates and content not to have a serious relationship. That all changes when he meets Aaron, an equally detached lawyer who likes to play the field. Repeatedly drawn to each other, both men begin to show their vulnerable sides as their undeniable attraction turns into something resembling a commitment.

“Oh, my God, do you guys remember straight people?”

I have been a fan of Billy Eichner for a long time now. His show Billy on the Street is one of my favorite things ever to exist, and when he joined Parks & Rec it also felt like a perfect match. When I heard he was writing a Gay Rom-Com that has Nicholas Stoller and Judd Apatow involved I just felt like it was a match made in heaven. Apatow has been doing this for awhile, where he finds a new comedy star and has them create a movie around that persona (Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson), and Billy might be the most exciting of the bunch. Not just because of his comedy, but his dramatic work in the movie as well.

Bros is your classic rom com, with a Meet Cute, awkward dates, sexual encounters, break ups, and make ups. But, what makes a rom com great is simply the chemistry between the two leads and are you rooting for them to get together. And in this case it is absolutely yes. Bobby (Eichner) and Aaron (Luke Macfarlane) may be different but they bring out the best in each other, and every scene they share together just works because of their comfort with each other. Bobby is a play on Billy’s outsized personality and seeing how Aaron is able to calm him and center him is what makes their relationship great. On the flip side, Aaron does not really come out of his shell until Bobby pushes him to so we get to see how they each help one another. And at the end of the day my favorite part of the movie is just that it felt completely normal for this gay couple to have a movie. It felt monumental but normal at the same time, which is a great thing.

As far as the technical side, Nicholas Stoller is a very good comedy and Rom-Com director from his past experience. He brings that same energy here, and even if the cinematography is not on the level of DUNE, it still looks great for a modern Rom-Com. The music was also great by Marc Shaiman, capped by a performance from Billy in a great original song.

Stock Watch

Stock Up – Billy Eichner

I have said so much about him already, but what I was just floored by in this movie was just his talent. He is obviously hilarious, but he takes the dramatic parts and nails them as well, his writing is clearly great, and he is a beautiful singer. Not fair honestly but I can see him doing anything he wants moving forward and I will be there in the front row.

Stock Up – Luke Macfarlane

I knew nothing about this guy going into this movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think he is a talented actor as well and hopefully will get bigger roles moving forward. He has been doing Hallmark movies for years now, but this is a great way to get him into the mainstream.

*A couple other tidbits

Jim Rash continues to make me laugh in everything.
A lot of this felt, in a good way, like a lesson in gay history.
The sex scenes were all very funny.

I really liked this movie, and I hope Hollywood continues to make movies like this. There is a reason the formula for Rom-Com’s is so popular, it is because it just makes people feel happy. And when you see the couple together in this movie you just feel excited for them and that is the best feeling you can have leaving a movie like this.

Juice Rating: