Many people think bromantic comedies are a recent trend brought forth by the likes of Judd Apatow and the Farrelly brothers. This is untrue. Bromantic comedies existed long before these guys started making movies; we just didn’t call them ‘bromantic comedies.’ I’m not saying Apatow and the Farrellys didn’t make good movies on the subject; I’m just pointing out that bromance is all around us, and has been for a long time. For those unfamiliar with the term, ‘bromance’ is the height of male bonding (BFFhood if you will).
Recently, I wrote an entry on good romantic comedies, and in it I talked about the formula for making a romantic comedy. Not surprisingly, there’s a bromantic comedy formula too, and it’s all too similar to that of romantic comedies. Two guys meet (or maybe they’re lifelong friends), they’re inseparable, they have lots of fun together, something comes between them (often a girl), they’re no longer bros, they eventually work out their differences, and go back to being bros. Yes, it sounds silly, but it is the basis for many movies out there. Sometimes it’s pulled off right; other times it’s not. Here is a list of my favourite bromantic comedies (with a little intro so not to spoil them), in order of the year they were released:
- Carnal Knowledge (1971): Made by Mike Nichols who is most known for The Graduate, this movie follows the lives of two close friends, played by Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel, from their college days in the fifties and on to their successes and failures as adults in the seventies.
- Stranger Than Paradise (1984): One of the writer/director’s best works. This movie has come to embody Jarmusch’s minimalist style in filmmaking. The story is simple and the dialogue incredible. Two New York hipsters hustle for a little money with which they roadtrip around the States.
- Withnail and I (1987): This English cult favourite takes place in 1969 London, and is about two struggling actors and flatmates who leave their hectic home for a countryside vacation. There, their survival skills and friendship are put to the test.
- Dumb and Dumber (1994): You’ve seen this one, I’m sure. This is the Farrelly brothers’ first and probably best movie. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, at their best, play the roles of two dim-witted friends on a cross-country quest for love.
- Kicking and Screaming (1995): This Noah Baumbach movie is about a group of college friends who are having difficulties moving on in life, whether romantically, academically, or professionally. It’s honest, relatable, and funny at the same time!
- Fubar (2002): What can you say about a movie whose title is acronym for 'fucked up beyond all recognition?' This mockumentary follows two head-banging, mullet-rocking, beer-shotgunning best friends through one of the two's treatment of testicular cancer.
- Sideways (2004): This novel adaptation follows two middle-aged men on a trip through California's wine country. One of the two is an alcoholic and struggling writer with a taste for fine wine and dining, the other a soon-to-wed actor looking for one last fling before he ties the knot.
- Starsky and Hutch (2004): This spoof adaptation of the TV show follows two undercover cops, played by Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, as they bust drug criminals in fictional Bay City. The movie is worth watching for Snoop Dogg's contribution to it alone.
- Superbad (2007): Possibly the best comedy in the last five years and one that everybody has seen. The events in this movie happen in the span of about twenty-four hours. Two best friends, with one last chance for high school romance, go through an incredible adventure to get to a graduation house party.
- Darjeeling Limited (2007): A beautifully filmed account of the reunion of three brothers, each with their own set of problems. They meet in India, in various lush settings, where an itinerary of contrived spiritual journeys becomes more trying than peaceful.
That concludes my list today. Let me know if I've missed any, and be sure to make suggestions for future entries if you have some.
