Bros

In Bros, New Yorker Bobby Leiber is the host of a successful podcast (The 11th Brick of Stonewall) and soon to become the head of the city’s first LGBTA+ art gallery. And that all sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? It’s a nice life except whilst he’s accepting (without irony) his CIS White Gay Man of The Year award, there’s a cavern in his soul. Bobby’s never been in love. Sure, the carousel of queer sex occasionally turns in his favour but Bobby’s love of his own opinion always gets in the way.

Occasionally making it out beyond, the routine chat up lines of “Hey, What’s up?” and the raking dance floor eyes of the club scene, Bobby always comes across as the walking wounded in a self-inflicted war. That is until he meets Aaron. Aaron is a stud muffin with all the abs in the right places – and – a country mile away from Bobby’s insecure, art-house dorkiness.

… might even put some milk into your milkshake as it dispenses laughter all around.

So, what follows in Bros is the most uncommitted, and yet faithful, road test of a gay relationship. Hilarious and unforgiving in its refusal to take prisoners or make itself a hostage to a straighter audience, Bros is, like Bobby, unapologetically queer. From its whip-smart dialogue to it’s on point lampooning of straight folk gaysplaining gay life, Bros suddenly uses Bobby’s insecurities as the central DNA to its appeal.

Whereas Billy Eichner’s Bobby is a bag of raging neuroses, it’s actually Luke Macfarlane’s Aaron Shepard who provides the serious depth as a dramatic counter balance. In short, the longer the film spends with the pair, the more obvious it becomes that this odd couple complete each other. And this is where Bros veers into more familiar rom-com territory with a boy meets boy, boy loses boy annnnd… well, there’s a heart-tugging finale at its close.

Returning to the staple pastures of being yourself and being respected for being yourself, Bros has broad appeal by the bucket load without ever making concessions for its gay audience. -Can’t cope with male nudity, sex and kissing? Well, sure. Look away but then it’s more fool you. Bros isn’t anywhere near the boner killer you might be fretting about, and for some, it might even put some milk into your milkshake as it dispenses laughter all around.

Swipe right. The Bros boys are waiting for you.