‘Brian’: A Heartfelt Coming of Age Comedy With a Unique Voice [SXSW Review]
4/5 student elections
Every so often, a teen comedy emerges that is just so breathlessly funny and relatable that it makes you reconsider your own adolescence. The reality of life is that none of us know what we’re doing, ever. High school is such a myopic experience in the grand scheme of things. It seems like what happens then is the most important events of your life, but it’s not.
Brian, the feature directorial debut from Will Ropp, is a rare realistic portrayal of the tumultuously imperfect teen experience. Brian (Ben Wang) is a teen who, like most of us, is a little bit messed up. He’s anxious and insecure. He also doesn’t know what he wants to be yet, so he goes through high school trying things on like clothes, wondering what will be the one that finally fits. We’ve all been there; we remember that uncertainty vividly.
In his desperate attempt to seemingly impress his teacher-and-crush Ms. Osweiler (Natalie Morales), Ben runs for class president. The fit is bad from the start: Brian is suffering from an anxiety disorder that causes him to lash out in rage when he’s overwhelmed. He’s going to therapy for it, but obviously that isn’t going to help overnight. The school seems to be accommodating rather than dismissive at least, with protocols in place for Brian’s outbursts.
The cast of characters in this film encompass a little bit of everything. His mother (Edi Patterson) and father (Randall Park) clearly adore him, but they also don’t sugarcoat the reality of life. His brother, Kyle (Sam Song Li), seems to be a slick type of jock, one who, in lesser capable hands, could have been a one-note asshole. Thankfully, he isn’t. Like their parents, he adores Brian. Though he ribs on him often it’s all done from a place of brotherly love.
The rest of the cast features the kind of characters that are unique to this moment in life. They’re teens we would not have seen portrayed as protagonists even ten years ago, like Sophia Macy’s Ashley, a feminist cool girl who actually is cool. She’s the girl we all wanted to be in high school, but without the stigma the early 2000s would have labeled her with.
Having a mental illness doesn’t give you a pass to be rude
Late Night With Seth Meyers writer Mike Scollins penned the screenplay, and it is peppered throughout with the same kind of zany improvs and dialogue you’d expect from a show like that. Brian works because it doesn’t take itself seriously, but it does take mental health seriously.
Brian is trying to work on himself throughout the course of the film, as evident in scenes with his therapist (William H. Macy). It’s a type of therapist/patient relationship that doesn’t feel played up for higher stakes as it often does in film. Brian’s therapist is the perfect antithesis for him, being there and guiding him rather than just being a figure for Brian to talk at.
Though it is established that Brian is not neurotypical it is never made to be an excuse for his actions. Ultimately Brian pushes away his friends until he realizes how hurtful and selfish he is.
There’s so much to love about Brian. It’s honest and unapologetic. It’s also funnier than it really has a right to be, but that is also credit to the heavyweight improv masters like Park and Patterson. Pairing them together is like winding a toy and letting it rip. Like Patterson’s continuous flirting with Brian’s only real friend, Justin (Joshua Colley).
For a comparison, the closest film Brian relates to is Easy A. Wang is the heart of this film, but the rest of the cast is its blood vessels. They work together as a whole to deliver a heartwarming story of adolescence, self-discovery, and family. All of this is done through a lens of levity, but don’t let it fool you about the heavier moments. Those are just as important, and Brian nails those beats. It’s a film that will resonate with people, regardless of their age, so don’t miss out on this one.
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