Bros, a Gay RomCom

Billy Eichner has teamed with the producer of Trainwreck and Bridesmaid and the director of Forgetting Sarah Marshall to create a gay romcom, Bros.

Bros stars Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane. Bobby (Eichner) is a successful podcaster and museum director who, through chance at a gay club, meets Aaron (Macfarlane), a lawyer with big dreams. The love dynamics of this couple slowly grow as the story explores the common themes of gay relationships, the fear of commitment, being hurt, and rejection for being oneself.

Directed by Nicholas Stoller, Bros is the first time a main film studio has released a gay-themed romantic comedy. Never before has a same-sex relationship, similar to the films When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle, been developed, produced, and released by one of the major film companies. Don’t get me wrong, Bros isn’t all serious, and it is a funny take on a couple trying to develop a relationship while living and working in New York.

Written by Billy Eichner, Bros, is a very accurate representation of the realities of gay relationships. Some aspects are taken out of proportion for comedy value. The underlying theme of the difficulty of being your true self and being vulnerable in front of another is explored.

With its initial opening, Bros’s box office sales fell well below expectations. Which then lead to a round of unfounded criticism about the film. But what many forgot to realize, this is the first time that a gay-themed romcom has been released at the same fanfare as many of the straight-themed contemporaries. This is a little unfair as a gay romcom shouldn’t be compared to a straight romcom, especially as this is the first of its kind on the market.

But overall, Bros is a good film. It is well written and produced and accurately represents the truths of gay men of a certain age trying to start a relationship when the past baggage continually catches up with them. 

Also, Bros is a comedy that is very, very funny. There are moments where you will genuinely laugh and maybe cringe as you will see aspects of the protagonists in yourself. There is a lot of self-reflection after seeing this film, as it is very relatable.

Billy Eichner, as Bobby, is annoying but in a fun and friendly way. There are touching moments where his character opens, and you understand the inner workings, but also help understand what it was like growing up as a gay kid in the 1980s and 1990s with little to no representation and develop this sense of self-loathing.

Luke Macfarlane, as Aaron, is your atypical sexy gay male with the body of Adonis. But the significant difference about this portrayal of the character is we get to see how much expectation gay men put on themselves to be something that ultimately doesn’t make them happy. Macfarlane’s performance is touching and genuine.

Bros is a lot of fun, and there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek comedy. But there are eye-opening moments where you will realize that no matter if it is gay or straight, trying to maintain a relationship with the person you care about or love, is just a lot of work, no matter who you are.

Bros is available to watch in cinemas and on streaming services.