by Josh Sewell
Bros
(Rated R for strong sexual content, language throughout and some drug use. Opens in theaters on September 30.)
Those who’ve seen raunchy romantic comedies like Nicholas Stoller’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up probably know what they’re in for with “Bros,” which Universal is billing as the first major studio film starring and co-written by an openly gay man and featuring an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast. That would be the hilarious Billy Eichner, who penned the screenplay with director Stoller (while Apatow serves as an executive producer).
The movie is genuinely sweet and earnest, but it’s also not afraid to depict the characters’ sex lives with frank, comedically heightened realism. It’s a jarring combo that doesn’t always work (the third act’s a little wobbly), but it’s a commendable effort to bring traditional genre tropes to an underserved audience.
Eichner plays Bobby, a neurotic, high-strung New Yorker trying to secure the funding to launch the first LGBTQ+ history museum. He doesn’t have time for a love life, settling for occasional hookups via dating apps. That changes when he meets Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), a chiseled jock who is his polar opposite in almost every way. Despite having practically nothing in common, the two find themselves drawn to each other and decide to give romance a shot.
While not every joke in Bros is a winner, they fly pretty much nonstop, so the clunkers tend to get drowned out by several full-blown belly laughs in a row. The extremely R-rated sense of humor, along with the subject matter, means the film won’t be for everyone. However, fans of old-fashioned, cheesy romcoms will find plenty to love.
That’s particularly true considering the chemistry between Eichner and Macfarlane is off-the-charts. Not only do they make an adorable romantic pair, they’re also a winning comedic duo. Whether it’s trading witty banter, engaging in sex-related slapstick or an awkward, uncomfortable dinner with Aaron’s parents (a scene so cringeworthy that I covered my face with my hands), the actors had the theater crowd howling.
It's been a while since a genuinely great romcom hit theaters, so I think “Bros” has the potential to be a big success this fall. It doesn’t have much in the way of competition until Ticket to Paradise (which reunites George Clooney and Julia Roberts) opens late next month, and word of mouth is already strong. Because of those factors, along with a final scene that teases a way the story could continue, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see a sequel in a couple of years.
Grade: B+
Hocus Pocus 2
(Rated PG for action, macabre/suggestive humor and some language. Premieres September 30 on Disney+.)
The original Hocus Pocus debuted in 1993 and was initially a financial disappointment. That tends to happen when you open a kid’s movie while Jurassic Park is still shattering box office records. However, over the next three decades, new generations discovered the film at home and it became a cult hit.
I’ve never thought it was particularly good (even after rewatching it with my daughter a few years ago), so all the love and fans’ long-held desire for a sequel was puzzling to me. Sure, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy chew the heck out of some scenery, but there was nothing about their story that suggested it should continue.
Still, I do my best to keep an open mind about every movie. So, when Disney sent me a screener for the highly anticipated Hocus Pocus 2, I pressed play hoping for the best. Rather than getting bored a few minutes in, I was surprised to find myself enjoying the new take on the characters.
It’s been 29 years since the kids in the original film defeated the evil Sanderson sisters – Winifred (Midler), Sarah (Parker) and Mary (Najimy) – but they remain local legends in Salem. When two occult-fascinated teens (Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo) are tricked into resurrecting the malevolent witches, it’s up to them and their estranged friend (Lilia Buckingham) to stop them from destroying their hometown.
Screenwriter Jen D’Angelo and director Anne Fletcher give the Sanderson sisters a poignant, compelling backstory and craft a funny take on how modern Salem townspeople would respond to their return. The cast is terrific – both newcomers and returning favorites – and they all seem to be having a lot of fun. (Although I don’t think they were all having fun in the same room; there are several green screen-heavy scenes in the second half that were clearly filmed at different times and spliced together later.)
Hocus Pocus 2 also isn’t as tonally jarring as the original, which didn’t seem to know if it wanted to be a cute kid’s movie or an entry into the horror genre for preteens. This time around, they’re purely in family-friendly territory, complete with slapstick and the Sandersons performing revamped versions of old pop songs (for example, a beloved Elton John staple becomes “The Witches are Back” instead of its original risqué title).
That might be a negative development for some diehard fans, but I liked the new tongue-in-cheek tone. I don’t know if this one will be as universally beloved as the original, but it’ll definitely make for fun Halloween season viewing.
Grade: B
(Rated R for strong sexual content, language throughout and some drug use. Opens in theaters on September 30.)
Those who’ve seen raunchy romantic comedies like Nicholas Stoller’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up probably know what they’re in for with “Bros,” which Universal is billing as the first major studio film starring and co-written by an openly gay man and featuring an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast. That would be the hilarious Billy Eichner, who penned the screenplay with director Stoller (while Apatow serves as an executive producer).
The movie is genuinely sweet and earnest, but it’s also not afraid to depict the characters’ sex lives with frank, comedically heightened realism. It’s a jarring combo that doesn’t always work (the third act’s a little wobbly), but it’s a commendable effort to bring traditional genre tropes to an underserved audience.
Eichner plays Bobby, a neurotic, high-strung New Yorker trying to secure the funding to launch the first LGBTQ+ history museum. He doesn’t have time for a love life, settling for occasional hookups via dating apps. That changes when he meets Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), a chiseled jock who is his polar opposite in almost every way. Despite having practically nothing in common, the two find themselves drawn to each other and decide to give romance a shot.
While not every joke in Bros is a winner, they fly pretty much nonstop, so the clunkers tend to get drowned out by several full-blown belly laughs in a row. The extremely R-rated sense of humor, along with the subject matter, means the film won’t be for everyone. However, fans of old-fashioned, cheesy romcoms will find plenty to love.
That’s particularly true considering the chemistry between Eichner and Macfarlane is off-the-charts. Not only do they make an adorable romantic pair, they’re also a winning comedic duo. Whether it’s trading witty banter, engaging in sex-related slapstick or an awkward, uncomfortable dinner with Aaron’s parents (a scene so cringeworthy that I covered my face with my hands), the actors had the theater crowd howling.
It's been a while since a genuinely great romcom hit theaters, so I think “Bros” has the potential to be a big success this fall. It doesn’t have much in the way of competition until Ticket to Paradise (which reunites George Clooney and Julia Roberts) opens late next month, and word of mouth is already strong. Because of those factors, along with a final scene that teases a way the story could continue, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see a sequel in a couple of years.
Grade: B+
(Rated PG for action, macabre/suggestive humor and some language. Premieres September 30 on Disney+.)
The original Hocus Pocus debuted in 1993 and was initially a financial disappointment. That tends to happen when you open a kid’s movie while Jurassic Park is still shattering box office records. However, over the next three decades, new generations discovered the film at home and it became a cult hit.
I’ve never thought it was particularly good (even after rewatching it with my daughter a few years ago), so all the love and fans’ long-held desire for a sequel was puzzling to me. Sure, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy chew the heck out of some scenery, but there was nothing about their story that suggested it should continue.
Still, I do my best to keep an open mind about every movie. So, when Disney sent me a screener for the highly anticipated Hocus Pocus 2, I pressed play hoping for the best. Rather than getting bored a few minutes in, I was surprised to find myself enjoying the new take on the characters.
It’s been 29 years since the kids in the original film defeated the evil Sanderson sisters – Winifred (Midler), Sarah (Parker) and Mary (Najimy) – but they remain local legends in Salem. When two occult-fascinated teens (Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo) are tricked into resurrecting the malevolent witches, it’s up to them and their estranged friend (Lilia Buckingham) to stop them from destroying their hometown.
Screenwriter Jen D’Angelo and director Anne Fletcher give the Sanderson sisters a poignant, compelling backstory and craft a funny take on how modern Salem townspeople would respond to their return. The cast is terrific – both newcomers and returning favorites – and they all seem to be having a lot of fun. (Although I don’t think they were all having fun in the same room; there are several green screen-heavy scenes in the second half that were clearly filmed at different times and spliced together later.)
Hocus Pocus 2 also isn’t as tonally jarring as the original, which didn’t seem to know if it wanted to be a cute kid’s movie or an entry into the horror genre for preteens. This time around, they’re purely in family-friendly territory, complete with slapstick and the Sandersons performing revamped versions of old pop songs (for example, a beloved Elton John staple becomes “The Witches are Back” instead of its original risqué title).
That might be a negative development for some diehard fans, but I liked the new tongue-in-cheek tone. I don’t know if this one will be as universally beloved as the original, but it’ll definitely make for fun Halloween season viewing.
Grade: B
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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