It is always a joy to find shows you began to watch with zero expectations, and they always end up being good watches, surprisingly. A show that can keep you watching even if you have no clue how it will move forward is proof of good filmmaking. It’s been a while since a decent comedy drama came out on Netflix, and Bros is one of them. This Netflix Israeli original is set in Jerusalem and shares the story of two friends who run a bar. Created by Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon, the show was released on the streaming platform on April 19, 2024.
Bros is all about Pini and Nisso, who have been friends since childhood and currently run a bar in the city of Jerusalem. They have been marred with several issues on the personal and professional front. Pini is married to Alma, and they have been trying to have a child for some time. His health is of concern as he spends a lot of time in the bar drinking alcohol and occasionally indulging in recreational drugs. Meanwhile, near their bar, a young man plans to open a discotheque that might snatch their crowd, and they are afraid they could be forced to close their business. Another store owner next to their establishment creates nuisances by taking their space, even though his business is not functional anymore.
A small bike accident involving them gave both good and bad news, respectively. Though Pini finds out his wife is pregnant, Nisso is informed about the doctor having found a tumor in his body, though only a detailed checkup might provide them information about any presence of cancer cells because of it. Pini is ecstatic about his news, and Nisso is dejected as he remembers that his father had cancer too, and he wonders if it will be the end of him too. Both are willing to make some changes in their lives. Will Nisso try to be more adventurous? Was Pini trying to make some changes in his life since he was going to be a father soon?
Bros is an eight-episode miniseries with a runtime of thirty to forty minutes, and seems to be a decent entry in the comedy-drama genre. The show is set in Israel, and the viewers would assume it would be a spy action drama since it begins with Pini rescuing Nisso from some criminals. With just two episodes, the show surprises you with its witty dialogue and interesting story, which would make viewers want to binge-watch Bros. The subject matter of Bros was not hard to follow, and the writers kept the story of the show very simple. It is the screenplay that shines through and generates a good laugh from the start until the end.
The best element about Bros is the humor of the show, and it blends perfectly with the main plotline. None of the comedy feels out of place because it is embedded in the screenplay in such a manner that makes every scenario relatable. The screenplay thankfully does not overcomplicate itself and takes a linear path that is simple yet effective. There are only a limited number of subplots related to the leads, and it does not digress much away from the main plot line. There are hardly any cons about the show that stands out like a sore thumb. Any minor concerns could be ignored because the narrative does justice to every character in the show, especially the leads. The show focuses a lot on relationships, friendships, regrets, and love, and all of these aspects are well explored by the writers, Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon. They spend just enough time establishing relationships and friendships, especially the ones shared by Pini and Nisso.
Bros is essentially a tale of brotherhood and friendship that is rooted in the past of the Jews and how they had to move to the Holy Land after the persecution in Europe during and before World War II. There are a series of mishaps that occur to them on their visit to Krakow, Poland, for a football match, which eventually brings them closer as friends. The story from the past is perfectly merged with how Pini and Nisso feel about keeping their family legacy going for the sake of the members they lost in the Holocaust. Thankfully, there are no over-the-top emotional dramas, as that could have slowed down the pacing.
The only concerns and some plot holes that were very visible in the screenplay were about Pini and Nisso’s friendship. They seem to be keeping a lot of information away from each other since the accident. How is it that neither could pick up on their change of attitude overnight? This seems a tad bit outlandish and not believable. This was not a plausible scenario, and the writers could have tweaked the approach. The writers also showcase pregnant women as being insensitive, which adds to the generalization that women who have conceived do not act normally. These minor concerns could be ignored, yet these attitudes should be challenged, seeing the show is coming out of Netflix Middle East.
A subplot involves Nisso, out of nowhere, finding money to pay off a debt. There is nothing mentioned about how he acquires a large sum to save his bar. Bros slightly beats around the bush while discussing how much Pini and Nisso care for each other despite several disagreements. We do not need to be told repeatedly about how they were brothers from different mothers.
The show, essentially, on the screenplay and story level, is a good tale of love and friendship, and despite ups and downs on the narrative level, the show mostly works out well because all of them remained steady and did not confuse the plots just for the sake of it. The production design is above par, keeping in mind that it is set in the year 2008. The makers claim the story is based on true incidents. I wish there was more to help us understand what exactly happened in 2008 and if the characters were based on real people.
Since this is a comedy-drama, the emphasis was a lot more on the writing than on the performances. All the actors have good comic timing in the show, but despite that, their performances do not stand out or shoulder the show from the start till the end. The writers of the show have cast themselves as Pini and Nisso, and it is an understandable choice from the chemistry they share on the screen, which allows the narrative to move forward.
Bros is an excellent show that describes friendship with a lot of love and humor, and the viewers would end up with a smile by the end of it. We hope there is season two that further explores Pini and Nisso’s dynamics.
