"THE BROTHERS"
(2001) (Morris Chestnut, Shemar Moore) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	None	Heavy	Minor	Moderate
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Minor	*None	Extreme
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Minor	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate

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QUICK TAKE:

Romantic Comedy: Four African-American men try to sort out love, sex and friendship as they deal with the various women in their lives.

PLOT:

Jackson Smith (MORRIS CHESTNUT), Brian Palmer (BILL BELLAMY), Derrick West (D.L. HUGHLEY) and Terry White (SHEMAR MOORE) are four lifelong African-American friends who always get together for a little basketball action on the court and discussion of their love and sex lives off it.

Jackson, a doctor, has a phobia about commitment, perhaps because of the estranged relationship between his mother, Louise (JENIFER LEWIS) and father, Fred (CLIFTON POWELL). Whatever, the case, he must confront it again when he starts seeing Denise Johnson (GABRIELLE UNION), a photographer who, unknown to Jackson, formerly dated his father.

Then there's Derrick, a married man who's upset that his wife of three years, Sheila (TAMALA JONES), still isn't comfortable with the notion of pleasuring him orally. Brian, a lawyer, doesn't share that dilemma and is currently seeing Jesse Caldwell (JULIE BENZ), a white self-defense instructor, but his problem stems from his bed-hopping routine and the subsequent jealous and/or outraged behavior of his various past conquests. Then there's Terry who's decided to take the plunge and is now engaged to BeBe Fales (SUSAN DALIAN), much to the dismay of his bachelor friends.

As the men try to sort out their romantic and sexual dealings, they must contend with the various women in their lives and what each brings in particular to those relationships.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Since the film sports a predominantly African-American cast, those who favor such films may be drawn to it, as might those who are fans of anyone in the cast. Outside that, however, it's unlikely this film will be a huge draw among most kids.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R

For strong sexual content and language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

MORRIS CHESTNUT plays a doctor who's phobic about committed relationships. He does, however, fall for Denise after having sex with her just after meeting her, and uses strong profanity. He must also deal with the discovery that she previously dated his father.

BILL BELLAMY plays a lawyer who sleeps around with many women - quickly moving on from one to another -- and uses strong profanity.

D.L. HUGHLEY plays a married man who's upset that his wife won't give him oral sex. He uses strong profanity.

SHEMAR MOORE plays their friend who's just become engaged, eventually has second thoughts about that and uses strong profanity

TAMALA JONES plays Derrick's wife who is uncomfortable with the thought of giving him oral sex. She also uses profanity and eventually files for separation from him.

GABRIELLE UNION plays a photographer who falls for Jackson after falling into his bed on the first day they meet. She must then deal with the fact that she previously dated his father (but didn't know this before meeting Jackson) and uses some profanity.

JENIFER LEWIS plays Jackson's up-front mother who uses some profanity, dispenses advice about men to the younger women, and deals with her relationship with her ex-husband.

CLIFTON POWELL plays Jackson's well-to-do, but estranged father who once dated Denise and must deal with that as well as his relationship with Louise, his ex-wife.

TATYANA ALI plays Jackson's sister, a high school graduate who's open to dating anyone and briefly uses some strong profanity.

JULIE BENZ plays Brian's latest "girlfriend," a white, self-defense instructor who uses profanity and flips a condescending/confrontational judge across a room in one scene.

SUSAN DALIAN plays Terry's fiancée who goes "postal" after he dumps her, and threatens him and others with her gun and uses some profanity.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated film. Profanity is listed as extreme due to at least 16 "f" words, while plenty of other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. All sorts of sexually related dialogue is also used in relation to sex, oral sex and such matters. Several couples are seen in bed fooling around in different scenes (with some of them having just met), many of the men are noted as being bed-hoppers and attend a bachelor party with women willing to perform sexual favors, and a running joke/material concerns a husband who wants his wife to give him oral sex (she eventually does). Various scantily clad women are also seen on occasion.

Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including some of the men's beliefs and treatment of women from a sexual standpoint), while some tense family moments are present regarding marriages and grown children's relationships with their parents. Violence consists of a dumped fiancée opening fire on a house where her boyfriend is located, and one woman throwing another across a restaurant (both played for laughs rather than suspense). Meanwhile, certain characters drink and smoke (with one noted as being intoxicated in one scene).

If this summary doesn't appease your concerns about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may want to see it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed content listings for more specific examples of what's present and occurs in it.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

People have drinks in a bar where Terry shows up and orders champagne for himself and his friends. When he announces he's getting married, Brian states "There's goes my buzz" (meaning his level of intoxication).

Derrick has a drink.

Brian's latest girl in bed says that she'll go get a bottle of wine for them.

Louise has some wine at a party.

A mother of one of the men states that she must have drank too much when she was carrying him. He asks if she really did that and she replies that it's not like she was operating heavy machinery. After he makes a comment to her, she replies that she knows who her kids are and then wonders if he's "high" (he isn't).

Louise, Denise and a few other women have what look like mimosas.

People drink at a party, including Brian who's noted as being drunk.

People have drinks in a bar, including Jackson, Brian and Derrick.

Terry drinks several shots of liquor at Jackson's place.

People have drinks at a wedding reception.

BLOOD/GORE

None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

The guys have sexist and/or bad attitudes of one sort or the other toward women.

Brian forgets pursuing a woman in a bar when he learns she has kids.

Louise makes fun of a foreigner (who's her ex-husband's date) in front of her, calling her a "skank ho" (whore), and she has some of both types of attitudes toward that ex-husband.

Denise doesn't tell Jackson that she previously dated his father sometime before she met Jackson. Once he finds out, he has a bad attitude toward her.

Brian's mother refers to any non-African-American women as white and says that a Latino is just a white woman with a taco.

A judge that Brian slept with and then dumped is condescending toward his latest "girlfriend."

Derrick invites his mother to stay with them without consulting with Sheila first, and admits to marrying Sheila only because she was pregnant.

Derrick nearly lets a woman/hooker at a bachelor party give him oral sex, but he stops her at the last minute.

We learn that Terry dumped his fiancée over the phone (leaving her a message).

FRIGHTENING SCENES

While Jackson and Terry visit Brian, a gunshot goes through the window and the guys then take cover as more and more gunshots riddle the house. We later learn and then see that it's BeBe firing upon the house since she's mad at Terry for dumping her. Jackson goes out to calm her down and she briefly aims the gun at him, but eventually gives up (all of which is played more for laughs rather than suspense).

GUNS/WEAPONS

Handgun: Repeatedly seen being held by a bride in several of Jackson's dreams/nightmares.

Handgun: Seen in BeBe's carrying case and later used by her to open fire on a house.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Due to crowd noise, many lines of dialogue could not be heard. Therefore, the following should be considered a minimum:

Phrases: "F*cked up," "Stay the f*ck out of my life," "F*cked up sh*t," "F*ck you," "What the f*ck /is wrong with you/Are you talking about?" "F*ck around," "Get the f*ck out of here," "Crazy sh*t," "I will not take any sh*t," "Stupid sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "Chicken sh*t," "Don't believe this sh*t," "Don't know sh*t," "Get his sh*t together," "Nuts" (testicles), "Whipped" (for a guy succumbing to a woman's demands), "Dumb ass," "Nigger" (said by black people), "Shut your old ass up," "Piss," "Ho's" (whores), "Get head" (receive oral sex), "Hit it" (sex), "Your mother sucked so much d*ck, she walks around on her knees," "Slut puppy," "Skank ho," "Oh, hell no," "What the hell /are you talking about/is this/was that?" "Tired ass," "Like hell you will," "Idiots," "Drunk ass," "Raggedy ass," "Shut up," "Bitch," "Booty" (rear end), "Ain't that a bitch," "Pissed off," "Sorry ass," "Run like hell," "Honeys" (women) and "Punk ass."

A woman spray paints Brian's car in anger/retaliation and we later see it again with more markings on it and a broken windshield.

Terry gives "the finger" to Brian.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A minor bit of such music plays during the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None that we heard, but various rap songs that play during the film have lyrics that can't be understood, thus opening the possibility of them containing other objectionable material.

PROFANITY

Due to crowd noise, many lines of dialogue could not be heard and during the end credits, there's more profanity that isn't noted. Therefore, the following should be considered a minimum: At least 16 "f" words (3 used with "mother"), 44 "s" words, 16 slang terms for/using male genitals ("d*ck"), 5 slang terms for sex ("hit it" and "boned"), 2 slang terms for female genitals ("p*ssy"), 1 slang term for breasts ("t*tties"), 28 asses, 18 damns, 12 hells, 4 uses of "G-damn" and 1 use each of "Oh God" and "Oh my God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

Due to crowd noise, many lines of dialogue could not be heard and during the end credits, there's more sexually related talk and behavior that isn't noted (some of it repeated from entries listed below including references to the oral sex material). Therefore, the following should be considered a minimum:

Among the things that Jackson thinks women want is "multiple orgasms."

A woman opens her blouse and we see her in her bra with lots of cleavage as she approaches and kisses a man.

As the guys talk about women and sex, one says he didn't do anything with a certain woman and another comments that he would have "waxed that ass" all across the office. Brian then admits to having sex with a judge, and one of the guys then asks another if something was before or after "She unscrewed your d*ck and put it in her purse?"

We see Jackson and Denise making out and rolling around on a bed (he's shirtless and she's in her bra).

We see BeBe's bare back as she's in bed with Terry.

A woman gets on top of a man, a comment is made about Viagra and the man says, "Mr. Jumpy needs a few minutes." We then see the woman's head going down his body and out of the camera shot, although we see his pleasured reaction.

A comment is made regarding Jackson and Terry's bed hopping with various women.

We see Derrick in bed with his wife kissing and he wants her to give him oral sex, but she says that she's not ready despite being married for three years, that it's nasty and that she can't do it (after starting to kiss down his body). He then gives her a massage to relax her and then slowly pushes her head down toward his crotch (after getting her to exercise/stretch her mouth). When she stops him, he complains that he's a grown man and can't "get head" from his own wife. They keep talking and she says that she gagged earlier on a banana, causing him to ask why she can't gag on his "banana." He then states that he gives her oral sex and when she says that she doesn't ask for it, he quickly replies that she doesn't stop him. He says that he doesn't mind do it, causing her to ask him if she had a "d*ck" if he'd suck it. He can't believe the question that she asks again, and he then replies that yes, if she had a "d*ck," he'd suck it. She then says that she was taught that good girls don't do that and that her mother told her she'd get cancer if she did. He then replies, "Your mother sucked so much d*ck, she walks around on her knees." She then asks if he'd tell their daughter to "go down" on her boyfriend and he replies that he would right after telling her that "sucking d*ck don't cause cancer."

We see Brian in bed with a woman whose name he can't remember. She's in her bra and panties, shows cleavage, and then tells him if he ever wants to "hook up" again to just call him.

We see Jackson and Denise in bed under the covers after sex. She tells him that she's a sucker for a naked man and the two then kiss.

We see various women in bikinis at a party, while Louise shows some cleavage in her outfit. She tells her daughter, Cherie, that a man only needs three things and that two of them are money.

Brian's mother complains about his younger brother (who still lives at home), having women in the house and having sex. When Brian tries to blow that off, she sarcastically mentions something about condoms and that it's the squirrels "freaking."

Sheila comes into their bedroom wearing a negligee and acting seductive/sensuous toward Derrick, telling him that it's time for some serious making up. She then dances around the room a bit (although this is played more for laughs than sensuality at this moment) and shakes her butt toward him (and the camera). She says that she's "going to give it to you," but he wants no part of this and she complains that he hasn't touched her in a week. A comment is made about "going down on you" and he states that this isn't about sex, but rather how they feel about each other. He then admits to marrying her only because she was pregnant. She then storms into the bathroom, making some comments about batteries (presumably for a vibrator, although that's never confirmed).

Jackson and Denise make out.

While sitting around talking about men, Jackson's sister states that she'll date white men because they have all the same equipment and twice the money. She then goes on to say that women need to reject "your p*ssy," stating that the word was created by men to objectify women's sexuality and turn them into property. She then states, "I've rejected my p*ssy," causing another woman to say, "Give me yours, cuz I could use an extra one."

At Terry's bachelor party, the camera focuses on a woman's clothed breasts as she dances in a bikini. We then see others wearing skimpy/high-cut bikinis that show cleavage and lots of skin, including a lot of bare butt for one wearing a thong-like bottom (that the camera focuses on). Terry states that they should go look at some "t*tties." At this party, a woman tells Derrick that she does everything and can even get a friend if he really wants to have fun (meaning a threesome) while nuzzling his neck. He then asks for some "head" from her, and she willingly starts to work on his pants, but he stops her and nothing else happens.

Some comments are made using the term "hit it" for sex when Jackson talks about Denise formerly seeing his father (she claims they didn't have sex).

At a surprise party for Jackson, someone comments about something being the first thing to go with age and then points to his crotch when saying you know what goes after that.

One of the guys comments about Denise to Jackson, "She boned your father."

Some comment is made about not being able to have an orgasm and having a "dry" penis.

Sheila realizes she overreacted to Derrick and that all he wanted to do was make love to her.

Sheila and Derrick passionately kiss in his office and she tells him to lock the door. They then make out some more with her leg up alongside his body and she then moves down his body (and out of the camera shot) to perform oral sex on him (and we see the pleasured reaction on his face).

Several women show cleavage at a wedding.

SMOKING

A few minor/miscellaneous characters smoke in a few scenes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Derrick and Sheila's marriage progressively falls apart (over her being uncomfortable giving him oral sex and him inviting his mother to live with them) until they eventually file for separation (but ultimately get back together again).

Jackson's parents are divorced and don't get along that well, but that changes as the story progresses.

Brian has somewhat of an estranged relationship with his mother (in that she won't give him or his younger brother hugs, etc.).

Jackson's already estranged relationship with his father becomes even more strained once he discovers that Denise once dated his father.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

The way in which men and women view dating, love and sex in different ways.

The ways in which the various men treat the women in their lives in this film.

VIOLENCE

Jackson has various nightmares featuring a bride carrying a gun. In one of them, she points the gun right at his head and pulls the trigger (we hear the shot and he wakes up).

Brian's latest "girlfriend," a self-defense instructor, grabs a female judge (who Brian earlier slept with and dumped) and throws her across a restaurant where she lands on some tables.

A woman spray paints Brian's car in anger/retaliation and we later see it again with more markings on it and a broken windshield.

While Jackson and Terry visit Brian, a gunshot goes through the window and the guys then take cover as more and more gunshots riddle the house. We later learn and then see that it's BeBe firing upon the house since she's mad at Terry for dumping her. Jackson goes out to calm her down and she briefly aims the gun at him, but eventually gives up (all of which is played more for laughs rather than suspense).

Reviewed March 13, 2001 / Posted March 23, 2001

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