The Brothers

The sound of wedding bells threatens to split asunder four African-American buddies in this serio-comic survey of modern manhood. When exec Terry (Moore) announces his nuptials, his friends are unimpressed: teacher Derrick (Hughley) is dead against it since he got hitched too young, and eligible pediatrician Jackson (Chestnut) reckons there's still time to play the field, like lawyer Brian (Bellamy). Subsequent events conspire to alter their opinions, however, since Jackson in particular is about to face character-building woman trouble, when he meets sassy photographer Denise (Union). Writer/director Hardwick's debut is a patchy assemblage of soap opera devices, often hilarious incidental dialogue, and an occasionally trenchant look at blinkered machismo. Although aspirational upper income-bracket settings help smooth over the joins, the film's inconsistency is exasperating.