Film Critique – Little Brother (2026)

      Little Brother, 2026.

      Directed by Matt Spicer.

      Starring John Cena, Eric André, Michelle Monaghan, Christopher Meloni, Sherry Cola, Ego Nwodim, Caleb Hearon, Dani Deetté, Ben Ahlers, Sophia Bunnell, Bryce Gheisar, Pilot Bunch, Sarah Ramos, Brett Azar, Stephen Singer, Christopher Woodley, and Holdyn Jaymes.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A well-known real estate agent's meticulously crafted life is turned upside down when his quirky "little brother" suddenly reemerges.

      Sometimes, the initial joke establishes the atmosphere and, for better or worse, signals what the audience should expect. In Matt Spicer’s Little Brother (who also directed the excellent parasocial dramedy Ingrid Goes West, making the disparity in quality here quite surprising), this negative omen is evident right from the start as psych ward patient Marcus (Eric André) reflects on pleasant childhood moments with a roommate whose mental health issues serve as fodder for jokes, showing him a 25-year-old photo of his charity "Big Brother" Rudd (John Cena), a successful real estate agent who was once overweight. That’s the punchline; John Cena’s character used to be fat.

      Marcus has endured a bleak existence, shifting between foster homes, many of which were either nearly abusive or ended in some trauma, a situation the film chooses to exploit for humor. He isn’t in the psych ward due to severe mental illness, but rather due to being eccentric and isolated, with no place to go. He recalls the brief period when he had a big brother (notably, Marcus appears to mistakenly think that Rudd is actually his biological brother, calling into question the validity of his diagnosis of slight craziness), decides to escape – which is ironic since he’s there by choice – and embarks on a quest to reconnect with Rudd. This initiative quickly results in him getting hit by a car and injured, yet not seriously enough to prevent a series of lowbrow antics for 90 minutes.

      Rushing to the hospital believing his elder brother, Josh, is in critical condition, Rudd is astonished to meet someone he doesn’t even recall claiming to be his relative. Unfortunately for him, his wife Deirdre (Michelle Monaghan) has a soft spot for the downtrodden and those in need (including adopting disabled dogs), compelling Marcus to stay with them and their teenage sons to rekindle his connection with Rudd until he finds some stability in life. Living in the shadow of his wealthy brother (Christopher Meloni) and preparing for a real estate reality show that could elevate him socially and economically, Rudd is uninterested in any of this absurdity.

      What follows is an excruciatingly unfunny blend of You, Me and Dupree and Step Brothers (the former being already terrible, putting the recipe at a disadvantage) that reaches unbelievably crude extremes, failing to generate laughter. It’s already uncomfortable enough that the filmmakers (with a screenplay by Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul) mainly view Marcus’s troubled existence as a source of mockery (they consider a glib remark about one of his foster fathers who perished on 9/11, but not on one of the planes, to be hilarious), with moments of gross-out comedy that even during the end credits bloopers, Eric André appears as if he's about to say “are you serious?” To his credit, he enthusiastically embodies the role and definitely injects a wild energy into the character.

      Beyond the incessant barrage of juvenile and crude humor, Little Brother strives to convey a cyclical message about the consequences of becoming the arrogant, distant, yet seemingly cool brother they once had, allowing greed, success, and self-absorption to hinder one's ability to be kind and decent toward those who look up to them. We learn that the young, overweight version of Rudd simultaneously admired and viewed Josh as a rival, transforming into John Cena and achieving significant wealth in real estate, while initially wishing to help the less fortunate, which is why he signed up for the Big Brother program in the first place decades prior.

      Yet, any meaningful story or family dynamics are overshadowed by lazy humor that is often striking for its sheer stupidity, crudeness, and occasional tastelessness. While this style can be funny, it seems to stem from an impulse to shock rather than genuine characterization. Ultimately, the film has good intentions but simply fails to be humorous. By the end of Little Brother, you might feel compelled to send everyone to the same psych ward for producing such a terrible comedy, even if there is a hint of heart towards the climax. The frenetic energy of Eric André and John Cena (who typically manages to be funny but barely makes an impact here) deserve a better film.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie