The Brothers
Four successful men find themselves easing into long-term relationships, but they're not all that comfortable about it, in this intelligent comedy-drama. Terry (Shemar Moore), Jackson (Morris Chestnut), Brian (Bill Bellamy), and Derrick (D.L. Hughley) are four close friends who get together once a week to play basketball and compare notes on their problems with women. And as it turns out, they have a lot to say in that area. Terry has just gotten engaged to BeBe (Susan Dalian), who is more than a bit controlling. Jackson has a deep fear of commitment, symbolized by a recurring dream in which he's attacked by women wearing wedding gowns; what's more, he's started seeing Denise (Gabrielle Union), who he learns once had a fling with his dad (Clifton Powell). Brian is a lawyer who has discovered his next court date will see him pleading a case in front of a judge who used to be his girlfriend (Angelle Brooks). And Derrick's marriage to Sheila (Tamala Jones) is falling apart at the seams. The Brothers also features one-time Jeffersons regular Marla Gibbs, and Jennifer Lewis as Jackson's mother, who may be giving his father a second chance after many years apart. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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Product Details
| UPC: | 043396063945 |
|---|---|
| Release Date: | July 31, 2001 |
| Format: | DVD |
| MPAA Rating: | R |
| Region: | 1 (USA & territories, Canada) |
| Screen: | Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV |
| Sound: | Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel, Dolby Digital Surround |
| Language: | English |
| Subtitles: | English, French |
| Genre: | Comedy Drama, Romance |
Review
The Brothers is an amiable but forgettable entry in a genre that's become increasingly fertile at the turn of the millennium: the African-American relationship dramedy. Charting territory familiar to those who have seen The Wood, The Best Man, and Love Jones -- movies concerning the commitment jitters -- The Brothers benefits from a script punched up by funny cultural references that work seamlessly into the dialogue, but not quite enough to distinguish it. Writer/director Gary Hardwick tries to balance out the misogyny that creeps into the foursome's complaints about their women and women in general, but he doesn't totally accomplish the mission. Many of their women have power that they abuse, be it judicial prerogative, self-defense skills, or a firing-range handgun. While they come across as psychos and stalkers, the men sit back in their sarcastic victimhood and comment on the foibles of the fairer sex. Still, most of the characters ultimately get a fair shake, and Hardwick does a reasonable job fleshing out nearly a dozen of them. He's weaker at keeping track of the ambitious number of subplots. For example, an emotional impasse between the character played by Bill Belamy and his mother is forgotten for over an hour of the film, returning just in time for a hasty resolution. Judged as just popular entertainment, The Brothers does justice to its genre and should hit on enough truths to please its target audience. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie GuideCredits
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Bill Bellamy | Actor — Brian Palmer |
| Julie Benz | Actor — Jesse Caldwell |
| Morris Chestnut | Actor — Jackson smith |
| Marla Gibbs | Actor — Mary West |
| Jenifer Lewis | Actor — Louise Smith |
| Clifton Powell | Actor — Fred Smith |
| Tamala Jones | Actor — Sheila West |
| Tatyana Ali | Actor — Cherie Smith |
| D.L. Hughley | Actor — Derrick West |
| Gabrielle Union | Actor — Denise Johnson |
| Angelle Brooks | Actor — Judge Carla Williams |
| Susan Dalian | Actor — BeBe Fales |
| Shemar Moore | Actor — Terry White |
| Gary Hardwick | Director |
| Gary Hardwick | Screenwriter |
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