Brother to Brother (2004)

76% of critics liked it
(41 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(1,004 ratings)

The feature-film debut of filmmaker Rodney Evans, who wrote and produced in addition to taking on directing duties, Brother to Brother explores the life and struggles of black, gay artists in the present and past. Anthony Mackie stars as Perry Williams, a young man dealing with the strife involved… More The feature-film debut of filmmaker Rodney Evans, who wrote and produced in addition to taking on directing duties, Brother to Brother explores the life and struggles of black, gay artists in the present and past. Anthony Mackie stars as Perry Williams, a young man dealing with the strife involved with being both African-American and a homosexual in contemporary New York. He is shunned by his father for his sexual identity and wary of being viewed as a sell-out by black peers when his work gains a white audience. When Williams meets an aging poet who was involved in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1930s, he suddenly finds himself transported back in time and cavorting with the likes of Langston Hughes (Daniel Sunjata) and Zora Neale Hurston (Aunjanue Ellis). Among such legends, Williams is able to gain perspective about his own life. Also starring Roger Robinson and Larry Gilliard Jr., Brother to Brother screened in competition at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Rodney Evans
Written By: Rodney Evans
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Nov 5, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Jun 14, 2005
Studio: Wolfe Releasing.

Critic Reviews

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News
Takes on a plethora of phobias. Homophobia, racial prejudice and age discrimination are among its targets, and it hits them squarely and fairly.
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
An uneven but provocative drama.
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
A very good drama about the difficulties of being young, black, and gay. With a bigger budget and a sharper focus, it might have been a great one.
Bjorn Thomson, Washington Post
Works far better as an idea than its execution.
Ellen Fox, Chicago Tribune
Ambitious but clumsy, it's a movie to appreciate rather than to be engaged by.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
There are a couple of self-conscious moments, to be sure, and some anachronisms, but on the whole, Brother to Brother is a graceful work of range and depth.
Kam Williams, BlackNews.com
A production which earns accolades for so sensitively shedding light on a subject many would prefer be kept in the closet.
Kam Williams, AALBC.com
A refreshingly-honest empowerment flick set against an historical examination of African-American homosexuality.
Michael Szymanski, Wordmag.com
Brilliant portrayals with an even smarter story, and it's true...
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
Writer/director Rodney Evans has tackled a lot here, too much really
Lewis Whittington, culturevulture.net
Quiet, thought-provoking...Robinson's portrait is joyously dignified, poetic and earthy.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
satisfying original journey that is well worth checking out for its sincerity and refreshing honesty
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Wolfe delivers a solid DVD package for Rodney Evans's Brother to Brother.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Although its reach exceeds its grasp, Rodney Evans' picture deserves points for its ambition and many elements of its craftsmanship.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
The story is a little uneven, but Anthony Mackie and Roger Robinson make it worth a look.
Frank Ochieng, Movie Eye
...uneven yet absorbing. Ambitious and thought-provoking in his (Evans) willingness to explore the complex depths of alienation and artistry
Paul Sherman, Boston Herald
Most of the movie's clumsiness comes in documentary veteran Evans' mix of fact and fiction.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

_kelly .

A friend's recommendation reminded me that I saw this stunning documentary-style-film on PBS's Independent Lens. The literary world of the Harlem Renaissance is more central to this than homosexuality amongst African American men (see Paris is Burning for the best film on… More
A friend's recommendation reminded me that I saw this stunning documentary-style-film on PBS's Independent Lens. The literary world of the Harlem Renaissance is more central to this than homosexuality amongst African American men (see Paris is Burning for the best film on that topic). It's admirable unabashed reality and as result, quite depressing at moments with an overall tone of bittersweetness. I think this is a very important film for young artists, especially writers, to see.