The Last of the Golden Era: A sequel to The Brothers

It’s been almost 20 years since the release of Gary Hardwick’s The Brothers.

Morris Chestnut, Shemar Moore, D.L. Hughley, and Bill Bellamy make up this all-star quartet in the cinematic classic about four lifelong friends taking on the complexities of love, sex, friendship, commitment and honesty.

I know, romantic comedies are the least favorite among the guys and are frowned upon. They can sometimes be corny, too mushy, over the top and unrealistic. But the fellas need not to worry. I can assure that you won’t lose any credibility here and will be speaking a different tone after watching The Brothers.

There is something that both men and women can learn from each other in this film. The Brothers is an honest look at the dichotomy between a man and a woman when it comes to matters of the heart. It’s not always that easy. Love can be convoluted, and it can be wrapped up in so much crap that you would think that it doesn’t exist. It will leave you wondering what it is that you’re fighting for. It’s like a hidden gem that you have to put some effort into finding, and with a little bit of faith that goes a long way. Taking a chance and seeing beyond your doubts. But what we truly feel that’s in our hearts, us men often suppress in fear, and leave the ones we supposedly love wounded.

Here we have Jackson (Morris Chestnut), a physician, who is struggling with commitment. Following the assignment from his therapist, he meets a freelance photographer named Denise (Gabriele Union). His relationship with Denise mitigates his doubt of love and commitment as he begins to open up his heart to her. But things take a turn when Jackson learns that Denise once dated his father.

Derrick (D.L. Hughley), a loving husband, father and son. His wife, Sheila (Tamala Jones), is reluctant to give him the kind of sex that he desires. Arguments ensue when Derrick makes the decision to move his mother into their home without first consulting his wife. Their marriage begins to deteriorate, and a separation is inevitable.

Brian (Bill Bellamy), an attorney, who has philandered with many women, realizes his past is catching up to him. He proclaims that he is done dating African-American women, with the notion that they bring unnecessary drama. In the matters of family, receiving love and affection from his mother, Helen (Aloma Wright) is something that Brian has also longed for.

Terry (Shemar Moore) is ready to settle down after years of playing the field, though it seems. He announces that he’s getting married to his girlfriend, BeBe, (Susan Dalian) after two months of dating. The guys feel like he’s rushing into commitment. The wedding is weeks away, and Terry is now afraid that he’s making a mistake and is overwhelmed with feelings of dubiety. When BeBe is left a message that no woman would want to receive, shots are fired, literally.

The guys eventually find their way back to the women they love. And life goes on. But is that it? Is this the end of the story for The Brothers? I’m not quite sure about that. You see, there are levels to this thing called “love”. And over the course of 20 years, things change, people grow, they get married, have kids. So, now, love is older, love is wiser, and love has brought on a new challenge that Jackson, Terry, Brian and Derrick must face…

As writer and director Gary Hardwick puts it, The Brothers sequel is about “maintaining and extending love, as a father and as a husband.”

The Brothers came out during a time when the golden era of Black cinema was coming to an end in the early 2000’s. This may very well be the last sequel to a film that was released in that era, with a legendary cast that has long been a part of African-American film history in the decade prior.

Although the script has been written, The Brothers sequel has yet to be made.

That can change with your support. Please, if you will, share this blog and the promotional video below for The Brothers 2. Let us come together in the name of LOVE, and the love that we all share for these films!

Charles Whitfield is a writer from California. You can follow him on Instagram @c.whit