This was a difficult one. I sat down and thought, “This is going to be a breeze. I’ll just list the first few that pop into my head.” Problem is that the first few that popped into my head was a list of 15 really good ones. So I proceeded to whittle them down by eliminating ones that were simply just too gay (my apologies to Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for Good Will Hunting). Next to help whittle the list down even more was to take off some of the buddy cop movies (the list was made up of almost entirely buddy cop movies). Now, all I needed to do was put them in order of preference.
First, an explanation for the ladies :
The bromance is a bond that only a man can fully understand. Women have a new best friend every two years but a bromance lasts a lifetime. It doesn’t matter if you don’t see each other for years, if you insult each other every day or if you get into heated arguments about your favourite football teams; you can always count on your bro to lay down in traffic for you if you need it. It’s an unspoken bond. A love that will put Romeo and Juliet to shame. Jillybean, if you still don’t understand, here’s a joke that might shed some light on why film has always celebrated the bromance but never makes mention of the Ho-mance.
“A woman doesn’t come home one night. The next day she tells her husband that she had slept over at a girlfriend's house.
The husband calls his wife's 10 best friends. None of them know anything about it.
A man doesn’t come home one night. The next day he tells his wife that he had slept over at a friend’s house. The wife calls her husband's 10 best friends. Eight of them confirm that he had slept over, and two claim that he was still there.”
The husband calls his wife's 10 best friends. None of them know anything about it.
A man doesn’t come home one night. The next day he tells his wife that he had slept over at a friend’s house. The wife calls her husband's 10 best friends. Eight of them confirm that he had slept over, and two claim that he was still there.”
…and now the list:
5. Shaun & Ed – Shaun of the Dead
Shaun’s mother turns into a flesh eating zombie and Shaun kills her. What else could he do? Besides, once she turned into a zombie she was already dead. Why this made it to the bromance list is because later in the movie, Shaun’s best friend, Ed, also turns into a zombie. Does Shaun kill his bro like he did his mother? No way, he sets up a TV and x-box in the shed, brings beer and sandwiches and hangs out with his zombie bro. Now that’s love.
4. Han Solo & Chewbacca – Star Wars
Why? Because Han and Chewy are the ultimate badasses who only show the vulnerable side to each other. We all know that if Darth Vader had told Han to choose between saving Leia or watching Chewy die, he would have chosen the wookie every time. Ultimate moment is when Han is captured by Jabba The Hut and Chewy screams out in the most chilling, shrill wookie scream that can only be matched to the emotion felt when Rocky screamed “Adrieeene!”.
3. Timon & Pumba – The Lion King
Without each other, the words “Hakuna Matata” would not mean anything. They stick with each other through thick and thin and the bond between these two friends is so great that it outshines the film itself.
2. Dr. Evil & Mini-me – Austin Powers
This is a weird one but it had to make the list. Maybe it’s too much of a father/son relationship and maybe it’s just Dr. Evil’s narcism that makes him love the clone of himself but the bromance between these two is as strong as any that have been portrayed in the history of film. Only a true bromance can have a fat bald guy say to a small bald guy, “you complete me”, and make the viewer say, “aaww”, instead, “ugh, get a room!”
1. Riggs & Murtaugh – Lethal Weapon
My number one favourite bromance of all time was an easy choice. Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh start off as an unlikely duo who, at first, hate each other but then grow to love each other. From the first Lethal Weapon to the last film in the franchise, these two are willing to take a bullet for each other. Riggs turns into a soft hearted “uncle” when he is with Murtaugh’s family and the timid family man, Murtaugh, turns into one of the toughest, most hard-core characters in the film when Riggs is in danger. They bring out the best in each other and forgive the worst. Lethal Weapon’s success is in the chemistry between the two bros and the lengths they will go to when helping each other. The final Lethal Weapon sums up their relationship nicely. At the end of the film, when someone takes a picture of them and their families, the photographer asks them, “Are you guys all friends?” to which they reply in unison, “No, we’re family”.
The Jillybean says:
Lets give this a bash.
5. Hot fuzz
I’d say it’s almost impossible to have a bromance list without Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in it.
4. Joe Barber
I know this one is a stage performance but this play rounds off my bromance list nicely. Just keeping it real folks. Joe Barber and Boeta Gamat are simply two of the coolest old souls on video. Quick witted, soft centred met hulle vuil pap monde gets me roaring with laughter. Two friends with a passion for hair and each other. In action, they make my heart melt.
3 Wedding Crashers
Ok…weird fact. This movie actually made me want to trade in my florals for some twig and berries. Yes, I wanted to be a dude but only for an hour or so. Never has a bromance movie got under my skin. They made being horny wedding crashers seem so applaudable…and doing it together seem so…not gay.
2. Pulp Fiction
Yes these bad boys show off their hardcore gangster ways but the back and forth conversation between Vega and Jules also shows that there’s a real deep understanding between the two. If I was a dude, I'd want to toss in with these guys. The deep love and un-awkwardness of their affection for each other portrayed by two complete friggin nutters makes this a classic must see bromance. Bring on the luuuurve brother.
1 Laurel and Hardy
One of my childhood memories takes me back to Lotus River…standing in a corner...and facing the wall. Earlier that day I had put a Frulati bottle in the back wheel of my bike which made a “VROOM VROOM” sound. My BMX was new and to my mom, this was me trying to fuck it up again. So…this was my punishment. Anyways, I managed to catch a glimpse of the tele in my peripherals (for extra effect) they had put the sound on really low to ensure I got no enjoyment in that friggin corner. Basically, I could hear jack shit. But I could see a funny episode of Laurel and Hardy. Since then, I was hooked. These short slapstick comedies have me in stitches every time. I’m not too sure if you know how the Laurel and Hardy duo all started but I think these two were born to be together. With their mischievous ways, always up for adventure, these warm hearted, fun loving, tit for tat homies are just killer together.
….and that is all.
