Cast: Morris Chestnut...............Jackson Smith
D.L. Hughley..................Derrick West
Bill Bellamy..................Brian Palmer
Shemar Moore..................Terry White
Gabrielle Union...............Denise Johnson
Jenifer Lewis.................Louise Smith
Clifton Powell................Fred Smith
Tamala Jones..................Sheila West
Susan Dalian..................BeBe Fales
Marla Gibbs...................Mary West
Tatyana Ali...................Cherie
Julie Benz....................Jesse Caldwell
Vanessa Bell Calloway.........Dr. Thelma Woolridge
Angela Brooks.................Judge Carla Williams
Nadege Auguste................Ursula

Directed by: Gary Hardwick Written by: Gary Hardwick

Rated R for strong sexual content and language

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"You meet somebody, get to know each other, have a good time. Then love drags its ass into it," a successful pediatrician tells his therapist at the opening of "The Brothers", a romantic comedy that wades through familiar territory with just enough high energy and charm to keep it afloat.

Basically, the story centers around four lifelong friends, all successful at their respective careers, but who now must discover what being in love truly means to them. Jackson Smith (Morris Chestnut), the aforementioned pediatrician, is bothered by dreams involving a bride with a handgun. Hmmm. He soon meets a witty and attractive young freelance photographer named Denise (Gabrielle Union) but a secret in her past threatens their future happiness. Hotshot attorney Brian Palmer (Bill Bellamy) is growing increasingly tired of what he views as an unyielding psychosis building inside African-American women, and thus aims for females outside his race with not-so-hot results. Terry White (Shemar Moore) is about to be married to the smart, sexy, and kind-hearted Bebe (Susan Dalian); but is he as ready as he says? Successful family man Derrick West (D.L. Hughley) and his wife, Sheila (Tamala Jones) are experiencing problems in the bedroom, as she refuses to engage in a form of oral sex that he takes quite seriously.

The movie doesn't dive into romantic insights as much as wade through them. The soul searching they go into is pretty routine stuff. For example, when Terry suddenly has cold feet regarding his upcoming wedding, we aren't given any plausible reason as to why. Unless you lend plausibility to the fact that well, he is after all a guy and hey, guys just can't commit, right? Another example is the subplot involving the attorney who seeks romance outside his race. One revealing scene has him arguing with his mother about the well-being of his younger brother. During the verbal confrontation, we learn of his father's departure from his life after falling in love with a white woman. The mother's pain still maintains a vice-like grip on her psyche, as she now holds an unfathomable degree of contempt for anyone whose skin is a lighter shade. Strangely, the issue is never explored beyond that one scene. Moments like that certainly have potential, but writer/director Gary Hardwick doesn't seem interested in tapping into it.

However, if his screenplay misses in some areas, it more than makes up for in others especially in regards to most of its female characters (a tad ironic I suppose, considering the title.) The film's best scenes depict the reactions of the women as they wait for the men to catch up emotionally. When Derrick explains to his wife that oral sex is a way of showing the utmost love and respect toward a married partner, her reasoning and subsequent question is not only funny, but carries an unusual degree of logic. In addition, I liked the character of Cherie (Tatyana Ali), Jackson's younger sister. She only pops up in a couple scenes, but is accompanied by an endearing charm and a distinct intelligence. Her finest moment comes as she conveys her own ideas in a speech about maintaining one's individuality while seeking emotional fulfillment.

While the individual parts don't exactly come together to form a groundbreaking movie, there are indeed enough of them to make the film enjoyable. "The Brothers" doesn't convey any message we haven't heard before, yet does have great amounts of fun relaying what the audience already knows.

Copyright 2001 Michael Brendan McLarney Critically Ill