'Bros' A Review

Bros is a romcom about NYC podcaster/creative Bobby(Billy Eichner) who recently landed a job as the curator of the new National LGBTQ+ History Museum. He is perpetually single but says he is OK with just randomly hooking up. At a club he meets Aaron(Luke Macfarlane) with whom he begins a tenative relationship.

Eichner, for the first time, is given the time and space of a lead role in a feature and he really soars. He holds the movie together with an unshakable confidence(which is interestingly kind of commented on in a meta sort of way). He's got an ease and a charm we typically don't see from his supporting characters that are loud with neurosis, not that that's not present here but it's perfectly modulated, there are some really funny sequences and bits but it's all balanced with the emotional journey of Eichner's character(and to a lesser extent Macfarlane's). Macfarlane in some ways has the tougher part, he's described as 'boring' and on the service the character seems as kind of a shallow, gym rat type but as the story progresses you understand and by into the attraction and the compatibility of the leads. Their chemistry is great and there is a lot of comedy but a surprising amount of nuance and commentary going on subtextually. For example Aaron seems to still be, on some level, coming to acceptance with his sexuality but this is never made directly text we simply see it as Billy and Aaron navigate various situations(unlike say Happiest Season which makes closeting a bludgeoning front-and-center plot pillar). The supporting cast is stacked with talent and fun surprises(a true joy to see Harvey Fierstein) but the focus is really on the central relationship.

Mostly on location shooting gives it an authentic feel and thankfully the cliche NYC-as-character stuff is mostly left out. And in a stunning deviation from the norm the character's apartments seem to be actually appropriately sized and affordable to their depicted life styles. Presumably a result of Eichner actually being a born and bred New Yorker. The soundtrack works, the editing is crisp, like most Apatow projects the run time is a tad long but there is enough laughs, enough heart, and enough story to remain hooked throughout.

A fresh, casually electric film that entertains and moves.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

See It.