"I’m fucking miserable. I had to get up at 10 o’clock this morning."
If that quote rings some bells, you've either been going through my texts or have seen the ridiculous comedy Step Brothers.
On July 25, 2008, Step Brothers hit theaters—and thus began its love-it-or-hate-it relationship with audiences. Just as one critic would applaud the comedy for its "irredeemably funny" moments, another would dismiss it as crude, stupid, or pointless.
Despite some viewers' hopes that Step Brothers would be laid to rest in a comedy graveyard, it's remained a divisive and highly quotable cinematic staple in the ten years since its release. What about this bro comedy earned it its "classic" status?
From masturbating in a time machine to the "fucking Catalina Wine Mixer," the comedy beats in Step Brothers are constant. But, the storyline—a tale of two grown man children immaturely, relentlessly, and (too often) cruelly ripping through life—doesn't seem all that enjoyable at first. (The use of the r-word and prevalent homophobic insults, similarly, add to the story's mean spirit.)
When they're not physically assaulting each other, the brothers seem generally happy.
And yet, if you pay attention to the characters behind the chaos, you'll likely notice that the Step Brothers narrative isn't all senseless idiocy. This satirization of "adulting" (before "adulting" was even in a thing) reflects on the paralyzing fear associated with "making something of yourself" by highlighting the ridiculous expectations that come with adulthood.
On one hand, you have Dale (John C. Reilly) and Brennan (Will Ferrell), two jobless 40-year-old men living at home. In lieu of managing their LinkedIn accounts or seeking mates, our "heroes" surround themselves with the stuff of stereotypical boyhood fantasy: Chewbacca masks, samurai swords, "nudie" magazines, Cops, drum sets, Shark Week, and bunk beds. When they're not physically assaulting each other, the brothers seem generally happy.
Alternatively, you have the parents of the two, Robert (Richard Jenkins) and Nancy (Mary Steenburgen). They spend most of the film struggling to cope with the antics of their sons, becoming progressively more miserable in the process. Focused on getting Dale and Brennan moved out of the house, nearly all of their attention is spent on what their sons "should" be doing.
The film's message is delivered full force when these two opposing perspectives collide in the final act. Robert comes to realize that he has crushed the spirits of Dale and Brennan and that the adult lives he pushed them towards make them deeply unhappy. In a confusing and sweet speech, detailing his childhood dream of becoming a tyrannosaurus rex, Robert tells the boys, "I forgot how to do it... I lost it. The point is, don't lose your dinosaur."
Assuming director Adam McKay isn't suggesting everyone regress into perpetual adolescence, Step Brothers makes a hyperbolic point about tackling the "rest of your life." Even in addressing the important big picture questions of your career or family plans, it is essential to not forget or neglect the silly distractions and joys that make you who you are.
It is essential to not forget or neglect the silly distractions and joys that make you who you are.
In recent years, Step Brothers fans have pleaded for a follow-up film. (Dale and Brennan's babyish behavior at 50 would be as funny if not funnier than the original 40-year-old portrayals.) But, as Will Ferrell aptly put it in an interview with Rolling Stone last year, "The things everyone wants you to do sequels of are special because there’s not a sequel of it."
Step Brothers may first appear as an ignorant, shallow addition to buddy comedies. But its deeper reflections on charting life's course as well as the permission it gives its audience to revel in juvenile delight make it a truly special and timeless classic for the young at heart.
Step Brothers is available for rental or purchase on Amazon.
