Who knew that the first mainstream romantic comedy featuring gay men would be so unmemorable. After Bros flopped with audiences, writer and star Billy Eichner ranted online that straight people didn’t turn out. After watching it, I ask: why would they?
Bros isn’t a bad movie as much as it is an unremarkable one; the hook is that it’s about two men, but beyond that there isn’t much. Occasionally but not consistently funny, with two leads who don’t have great chemistry, Bros lacks the two key components of any great romantic comedy.
Eichner is largely obnoxious throughout, though admittedly his character gets better as we get to know him, while Luke Macfarlane is fine and the more interesting of the two. But the pair didn’t really convince me why I should believe in them as a couple, or that I should buy into their love for each other and deserve to be together.
Arguably more important, I didn’t find the movie to be as funny as it clearly thinks it is. There are some moments for sure—a few of the sex scenes are pretty humorous as Eichner pokes fun at the gay stereotype—but those moments are sparse. Bros maintains a certain level of entertainment value in spite of this, but it’s not enough to make it all worthwhile.
Bros isn’t a complete waste, but it is a wasted opportunity to blow away straight (and otherwise) audiences with a sincere and sincerely funny romantic comedy. That just happens to be about homosexuals.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.
