Let's be realistic.

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

BROTHER TO BROTHER will be added to the list of films I show my university class. THere has yet to be a film that so perfectly captures both the longing and the anger that informs gay American cultural history and specifically African American gay cultural history. Director Rodney Evans has managed to communicate the excitement and risk of the Harlem Renaissance and use it as a back drop for the challenges of talented gay African American artists now. This is imaginative, deeply felt, and lonely film making. For such a collaborative art form, this film has a wistful solitariness that hurts and heals.The cast is uniformly excellent, and the story is haunting. What a contribution Mr. Evans has made, what humane art he's given us. Eliot told us to "risk enchantment" in our lives, our art. This is just that successful risk.Don't miss it!

Unless I missed something in the screening I saw tonight, we had a college age kid get involved with a man who had to be at least 100 years old. The premise was a young sensitive black and gay student who's going through his own angst happens to meet up with a survivor from the Harlem Renaissance era of the 1920s. Anthony Mackie as the student and Roger Robinson as the artist/survivor both give fine performances and I was deeply moved. A lot of issues that they talked about are as relevant today as during the 1920s, although God knows a whole lot of history has occurred in the intervening years.After the film though I started thinking. Roger Robinson looks about 75 in the film, he was born in 1940 which would make him sixty five. But 105 would be a more appropriate age if we're to believe he was hanging out with Langston Hughes, Zora Hurston, etc. back in the day. I'm sure some other people had to realize that as well.In order to make the film more plausible, the writer and director should have placed the modern story circa 1980. That would have been more believable with the players ages.Still and all, it's a deeply moving film and one to be seen and treasured.PS. After writing this review I looked up Richard Bruce Nugent and found that he was born in 1906, died in 1987 and that he died in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Uh oh! Another gay film. This time it's showing the black side. Bet your last dollar it's gonna have an unhappy ending! But WHY? With only less than a half dozen exceptions, ALL gay films have to end in death or an "addio" finale. It's like all the European Film Noir releases in the 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's. The lead...male or female must die or ride off alone into oblivion. Why in God's name must writers, directors, and producers have the audience leave the theatre feeling depressed? After all, it's supposed to be gay...not glum. Maybe the category should be changed to a 'glum' film. A large percentage of gay relationships DO last and the couples DO ride off together into the sunset! No matter who writes or produces, he only shows the down side of gay life and gives the incorrect impression of gay lifestyle. This movie just proves my point. If you rent the DVD, take an antidepressant, for here comes another 'gay' film! This is WRONG!

I met Anthony MacKie, the actor who plays Perry, after experiencing his wonderful portrayal of Tupac Shakur in a play off Broadway in NYC and we had a few moments to chat as he signed my program. As I watched "Brother to Brother" I kept wondering how much of Perry's life paralleled the life of Anthony MacKie? I loved this movie! I felt that the characters were well developed and the contrast and similarities between modern day and the Harlem Renaissance fascinating. I find it hard to believe that this movie is only being shown at one theater in NYC. Anthony MacKie has, to his credit, roles in Manchurain Candidate and 8 mile, as well as theatrical roles in the Off Broadway "Up Against the Wind" and the (less successful) Drowning Crow on Broadway. Brother to Brother is an outstanding motion picture.