Brother to Brother
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DVD details
Actor: Alex Burns, Anthony Mackie, Daniel Sunjata, Duane Boutte, Larry Gilliard Jr.Brand: Wolfe
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 90 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-06-14
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: WOLFE VIDEO
DVD Reviews of Brother to Brother
DVD Review: A YOUNG MAN AND AN OLDER MAN
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow, I had heard about this extraordinary and eloquent film from a friend and certainly wished that I had not delayed so long in seeing it. My very open minded Mom who unfortunately died September 07 would have been as moved by this exquisite film as she was by the other gay themed films I had watched with her such as "Brokeback Mountain", "Cowboys and Angels", "The Sum of Us" and "The Adventures of Felix".
I can certainly understand the frustration of some who complain that the black gay male characters in the film seem drawn exclusively towards white boyfriends or prospective lovers, HOWEVER, I do think they are overlooking the fact that the most meaningful relationship in the film, although not sexual, is between a young gay black man, and an an older gay black man. The more mature gay man who defends himself by referring to himself as "Legendary" when confronted with the description of being "Elderly" is truly an oasis in the desert for this starved young man. This young man of course has encountered a very cruel reality so often a part of being gay in the USA. His horrendously homophobic father catches him with another boy in his room and ejects him from his house and his life. This "Legendary" man comes along, who of course is not a fictional character but patterned after the very real Bruce Nugent, who is down on his luck, and living in a shelter where the young man works while attending school. He is so much better a role model for this young man, who could have easily given up and taken his life in a weak moment given the rejection of his family. There are some cute moments of playful flirtation on the part of Nugent towards the boy, but it is not at all threatening. The young man soaks up the experience of the older man and learns so much from him. It is so sad our society for the most part does not revere the elderly as the young man in this film does, the elderly have so much to impart on the young but our culture with its obnoxious
values, it's obsession with youth and beauty and money, does little to encourage these kinds of relationships.
I felt that the blending of black and white reflecting those Harlem Renaissance days with modern day New York City in full color was flawless and fascinating. The editing was perfect.
These brave men such as Nugent are part of the reason we have our freedoms today. They dared to be themselves at a time not known for it's enlightenment. They paved the way for us.
Anthony Mackie was magnificent in the role of the young man who is the main character. I found it interesting that the director wanted him for the part of the straight male best friend and Mackie wanting to stretch as an actor, informed the director he was only seeking to play the lead.
This took much courage on the part of Mackie, who it is emphasized by the director, is not gay, to take on this challenge. I'm certain he found out who his true friends in life were when he took this role. We all remember how risky it was for an actor back in the 80s to play a gay part, it could destroy their career, so fortunately times have changed.
I thought it was gutsy for Russell Crowe to play gay back in the early 90s in "The Sum of Us" and he is such a brilliant actor he made us all believe he was truly gay. I thought Mackie handled this so beautifully and now want to see " She Hate Me" and his other films. It must be wonderful for young gay people to see this film where the gay guy is portrayed as an articulate black man who is certainly a winner, while a straight black male classmate who is threatened by the main characters sexuality, comes off as abusive, immature, and obnoxious, and I was not surprised that his fury would lead to his being part of a "fag bashing" scene. He is a total coward and a wimp hiding behind his hooded sweatshirt while his buddies beat up the young gay man.
Also excellent were Roger Robinson as the present day Bruce Nugent, and
Duane Boutte, as the younger Nugent enjoying the Harlem Renaissance. I thought the scene where you see the fatasy the older Nugent has of approaching a handsome and sexy young black man who is seated waiting for a subway train was excellent. On screen the younger Nugent makes the advance offering to paint his portrait, and the picture goes back and forth from black and white to color. There is no risk as it is only in the imagination of the present day Nugent, so we forgive the fact that it seems a bit far fetched that the stranger is so charmed by the approach, especially when he is seated alongside two other men. I am not aware of having seen either Robertson or Boutte in other films but will keep and eye out for them. They are also very credible as the same person.
I must also finally commend the skills of the director Rodney Evans who did a wonderful job giving birth to this amazing film. He had a vision in his head and it obviously took lots of hard work to get this done. I enjoyed the special feature where he explained all that was involved and the process. I understand he is a new director so I will be watching to see where his path takes him. I was fascinated when he spoke of showing this film to an audience of students who initially expressed blatant homophobia and outrage and how those sam kids stayed with it, and by the end he had won them over and they viewed the gay character sympathetically. He felt there outrage may have been in part due to the fact the main character was not a obvious stereotype which they could have dismissed as a clown, but he resembled them. He was masculine, and was a cool brother.
One last thing before I close the MUSIC was phenomenal,it just went perfectly with the film. It just drew you in an created a wonderful atmosphere. I can certainly see why this film drew the praise and the awards it did. I would highly recommend this to anyone who has an open mind and an open heart, it made me cry, it is so touching and I can't find fault with any of it!!!!
Description of Brother to Brother
Critically acclaimed drama that invokes the glory days of the Harlem Renaissance. As an elderly man, poet Bruce Nugent meets a young black gay artist struggling to find his voice and together they embark on a surreal narrative journey through his inspiring past.DVD Bonus Features:
Separate commentaries by Director Rodney Evans and lead actor Anthony Mackie
Behind the Scenes: Interview with the Director Rodney
Evans
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer
Chapter Stops . .
Letterbox 1: 1.85
Closed Caption
Dolby 2.0 Stereo
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