Thomas Storai 
“Little Brother is a comedy that consistently delivers laughs with wacky and crude humor.”
Little Brother is a comedy directed by Matt Spicer, starring John Cena, Eric André, Michelle Monaghan, and Chris Meloni. It releases today on Netflix.
STORY
Little Brother follows Rudd (John Cena), a successful real estate agent whose life seems to be going well, until Marcus (Eric André), his former “little brother” from a high school Big Brother–Little Brother program, suddenly reappears and turns his world upside down. Despite appearances, Rudd’s life is far from perfect. Beneath his successful exterior, he struggles with personal issues, and Marcus’ arrival forces those problems into the spotlight.
While it’s not particularly original and follows a fairly familiar formula, it succeeds where it matters most for a comedy – it consistently delivers laughs. And it’s all that matters. It’s a 100-minute film that will entertain both young adults and adults. The film features some crude humor, including a few surprisingly funny sex scenes, but most of its comedy comes from its wacky, absurd sense of humor. That’s Marcus’ role in the story: to bring the film’s completely unhinged comedy to life. He always seems to find ways to get himself hurt unintentionally, creating a series of ridiculous situations. These scenes are the most hilarious ones.
There’s a pee scene in a car, and it’s a complete rollercoaster of silliness. When you think it’s over and things can’t get worse for him, it keeps going and going. I couldn’t stop laughing during that whole sequence. And there are quite a few scenes like this. Obviously, Marcus is not the only funny character, but he’s definitely the one who brings the most laughs. Rudd also provides comic relief in the film through his relationship with his older brother and his reactions to events in his life.
CAST
Eric André has great comedic timing; he knows how to deliver his lines to get the most laughs. He’s a scene stealer. Every time he is on screen, you know you are going to laugh at some point. On top of that, it’s always a pleasure to see John Cena. Over the years, he has grown as an actor. He has proven his talent not only in wrestling but also in acting. Undoubtedly, his best performance to date is in Peacemaker Season 2. You can see that he has clearly put what he has learned into practice. He’s developing a large range of skills. He’s definitely good with comedy. The André–Cena duo works well; their performances are complementary.
Moreover, Cena has good on-screen chemistry with Michelle Monaghan, who is actually a bit underused in this film. Christopher Meloni also shows some comedic talent; he’s great as the obnoxious older brother.
VERDICT
Little Brother is a comedy that consistently delivers laughs through wacky, crude humor. Eric André is a real scene-stealer; his comedic timing is great, and every time he is on screen, you know you’re in for one ridiculous situation after another. John Cena shows growth as an actor; he’s definitely good at comedy.
Little Brother releases today on Netflix.
Collectables and Anime Editor for Future Of The Force.
Star Wars expert and Japan connoisseur.
