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 THE
BROTHERS
Four
men who have been friends since childhood face the trials of finding
their mate for life. One has already married, one is engaged, one
is looking, and one vows to never marry.
REVIEW
BY BETTY HAMM |
THE BROTHERS
(2001)
This page was created on March 27, 2001
This page was last updated on
May 17, 2005
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Directed
by Gary Hardwick
Writing credits: Gary Hardwick
Morris
Chestnut .... Jackson Smith
D.L. Hughley .... Derrick West
Bill Bellamy .... Brian Palmer
Shemar Moore .... Terry White
Gabrielle Union .... Denise Johnson
Tatyana Ali .... Cherie
Jenifer Lewis .... Louise Smith
Tamala Jones .... Sheila West
Clifton Powell .... Fred Smith
Susan Dalian .... BeBe Fales
Marla Gibbs .... Mary West
Julie Benz .... Jesse Caldwell
Directed
by Gary Hardwick
Writing credits: Gary Hardwick
Produced by Paddy Cullen (producer), Paddy Cullin (producer), Doug
McHenry (executive producer), Darin Scott (producer)
Cinematography by Alexander Gruszynski
Film Editing by Earl Watson
Rated
R for strong sexual content and language.
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The Brothers (2001)
SOUNDTRACK
Various Artists
1. Love Don't Love Me - Eric Benet 2. Lay It Down - Jermaine Dupri/R.O.C./Lil
Mo 3. Good Love - RL 4. Two Of A Kind - Gerald & Eddie Levert 5.
Wheel Of Fortune - Lil Johnny 6. Brotha Sayin' Hi To You - Snoop
Dogg 7. I'm Through - Cassie 8. Happy - AB 9. Let It Go - Jaheim/Castro
10. Josephine - DL 11. Teach Each Other - MAZE/Frankie Beverly 12.
2Night - Somethin' For The People 13. Forever - Dave Hollister 14.
I Put It Down - DuGanz Da Don 15. Love Theme, The - Marcus Miller
16. Chocolate - Mos Def
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REFUSING
TO EXHALE
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STUDIO SYNOPSIS:
 Dubbed
"Refusing to Exhale" by director Gary Hardwick, "The Brothers" traces
the hilarious journey of four African-American men as they take
on love, sex, friendship and two of life's most terrifying prospects
-- honesty and commitment.
Smart,
successful and sexy, Jackson Smith (Morris Chestnut), Brian Palmer
(Bill Bellamy), Derrick West (D.L. Hughley) and Terry White (Shemar
Moore) are "The Brothers" -- lifelong friends banded together to
weather love's innate terrors and occasional triumphs in this brazenly
comic yet painfully true exploration of the battle between the sexes.
Amidst the career track, basketball and bar hopping, "The Brothers"
love women, as many as possible, but shocking revelation tests the
foursome's friendship and changes their dating habits forever.
The
foursome begin the story with an emergency meeting at their local
bar: reformed playboy Terry has decided to tie the knot. The rest
of the gang use Terry's frightening news as a leaping off point
to work through their own romantic troubles. Jackson, the gang's
resident pediatrician, is desperate for intimacy but terrified of
commitment. Meeting attractive, available Denise (Gabrielle Union)
only complicates matters further, particularly when a secret about
her past is revealed. Derrick still finds time for the boys despite
his demanding wife, who doesn't always meet his demands, while Brian,
the old school bachelor, fights tooth-and-nail to protect his independence
from women who don't deserve him anyway. As his friends weather
the storms of their own romances, Terry begins to doubt his decision
to settle down.
Will
Terry go through with the big "M?" Will Derrick and his wife reach
an understanding about his "needs?" Can Brian get over his attitude
problem with women, or will he just continue to "get over?" And
finally, does Jackson have the courage to be the man Denise deserves?
Follow
the hilarious path of four men as they clumsily navigate the worlds
of sex, friendship and family, and finally learn the hard way that
although they seem to know and have it all, "The Brothers" have
a lot to learn about women and, ultimately, themselves.
Written
and directed by Gary Hardwick and produced by Darin Scott and Paddy
Cullen, Screen Gems presents "The Brothers." The executive producer
is Doug McHenry, the editor is Earl Watson.
-- ? 2001 Screen Gems
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ABOUT
THE CHARACTERS
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 Jackson
Smith (Morris Chestnut)
is
a successful pediatrician who is desperate for intimacy but terrified
of commitment. He desperately wants a meaningful and lasting relationship,
unlike the relationship his parents have had, yet a part of him
still clings to the security of his former, independent self. He
often feels that he doesn't need a woman in his life. He doesn't
want to make a commitment to anyone quite yet but he definitely
has the potential to come full circle.
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 Denise
Johnson (Gabrielle Union)
is a beautiful, smart and independent woman who is ready to be in
a committed relationship but doesn't need one to be complete. She
is looking for her match. She's an idealist and is motivated by love,
by the idea of love and what love is supposed to mean. She believes
that if you're in love you're supposed to fight for it. She is definitely
a catch. |
 Derrick
West (D.L. Hughley)
is a loving husband and father who still finds time for the boys despite
his demanding wife, who doesn't always meet his demands. He is trying
to take a marriage that was sort of ill conceived to begin with and
make it work. He got married young and he's not able to enjoy all
the accouterments of freedom that his single friends have. Despite
his gripes, Derrick is determined to make his marriage work. |
 Sheila
West (Tamala R. Jones)
is a successful businesswoman, wife and mother. She is not always
willing to compromise to meet her husband's needs, but does have his
best interests at heart. She got married young and often feels that
she might be missing out. Sheila needs to realize that good marriages
take work and that she has a husband that loves her. |
 Brian
Palmer (Bill Bellamy)
is the sexy old school bachelor who fights tooth-and-nail to protect
his independence from women who don't deserve him anyway. He has an
extreme aversion to relationships. He is fighting not to learn how
to make the most fundamental of commitments and doesn't know how to
connect emotionally to women. He is intimidated by love. |
 Cher?
Smith (Tatyana Ali)
is a young, determined woman who wants nothing to do with men. She
is going to college and feels she does not need a man. She feels empowered,
but is not open to falling in love due to her parents' bad relationship.
She loves her father dearly but thinks he and her brother Jackson
are dogs. She needs to find out who she is and what she wants before
she is capable of being in a relationship of her own. |
 Terry
White (Shemar Moore)
is a renowned womanizer who desperately wants to settle down, an alarming
revelation to his closest friends. He is trying to turn around what
he thinks has been a lifetime of childish behavior. This awkward,
terrifying and exciting stage in his life is "transition time." This
is that period of life that every man worries about, but at the same
time is excited about. This is where your true manhood kicks in, when
you are ready to make it not just about yourself - you're ready to
take on partnership. |
 BeBe
Fales (Susan Dalian)
is a fun, sexy woman who knows exactly what she wants and is not afraid
of going after it. She often goes to extremes to get the desired end
result, which can backfire. She is ready to settle down but has been
hurt in the past and needs to know that the man is truly committed.
She never backs down in a confrontation but can be swayed if she is
proved wrong. She is willing to take care of all of her man needs
but demands respect. |
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?We
had a marriage, love and children. There is nothing stronger than
that.?
REVIEW
BY BETTY HAMM
bhamm@efcn.org
Arts Director
Evangelical Free Church,
Naperville Il (630)983-3232
http://www.efcn.org
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?We
had a marriage, love and children. There is nothing stronger than
that.? ?Louise Smith (Jenifer Lewis)
 Four
men who have been friends since childhood face the trials of finding
their mate for life. One has already married, one is engaged, one
is looking, and one vows to never marry. ?The Brothers? is a film
about love, sex and marriage from predominately the professional
black man?s perspective.
It
is a face paced film filled with one- liners and from this woman?s
perspective?very difficult men.
 This
film shows through a series of relationships, that sex and love
are indeed not the same thing. It also shows that love and marriage
are worth fighting for. ?Ladies, be fearless in love because women
invented it.? ? Louise Smith.
 Well,
women did not invent love but they certainly have insights into
it. I came away from this film affirmed that love and marriage were
too complicated and precious to cloud it with issues before vows
are made.
 For
example, one of ?the brothers? marries his wife because she was
pregnant. When things start to go sour in their marriage three years
into it, he throws back to her face ?I only married you because
you were pregnant. Not because I loved you.?
 Marriage
is not an easy path by any definition. When the road is strewn with
baggage, it becomes almost unpassable. We not only see newlyweds
struggling but also a couple who were married over 25 years. The
father is confronted by his adult son for leaving his mother and
running around with women young enough to be his daughter. ?Can?t
you just have one moment of shame? You broke up this family with
your arrogance and selfishness.?
So
what is the answer to the life long struggle between men and women?
The Bible tells us purity, unconditional love, sacrifice and forsaking
all others in order to cling to our spouse. Marriage is worth the
struggle to become more than a statistic. Marriage is more than
sharing a bed and a checkbook. It is two people setting their course
together, discovering love, friendship and God togther.
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HUMEROUS
STATEMENTS ABOUT MARRIAGE
By
all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you will become very happy.
If you get a bad one, you will become a philosopher.
- SOCRATES (470?399 B.C.)
A bridegroom
is a man who spends a lot of money on a new suit that nobody notices.
A deaf
husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple.
-FRENCH PROVERB
A happy
marriage is the union of two good forgivers.
- ROBERT QUILLEN (1887?1948)
A man
too good for the world is no good for his wife.
- JEWISH PROVERB
A successful
marriage demands a divorce; a divorce from your own self-love.
- PAUL FROST
Dogs
are quick to show their affection. They never pout, they never bear
a grudge. They never run away from home when mistreated. They never
complain about their food. They never gripe about the way the house
is kept. They are chivalrous and courageous, ready to protect their
mistress at the risk of their lives. They love children, and no
matter how noisy and boisterous they are, the dog loves every minute
of it. In fact, a dog is still competition for a husband. Perhaps
if we husbands imitated a few of our dog?s virtues, life with our
family might be more amiable.
- BILLY GRAHAM
Pray
one hour before going to war,
Two hours before going to sea,
Three hours before getting married.
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OFFICIAL
SITE
The Brothers ? 2001 Screen Gems -
All Rights Reserved
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