Everyone likes a good bromance, right? Some call them guy flicks and others call them buddy movies, but let’s be honest. We can call them bromances and it fits just fine. Now I’m not talking about romantic relationships. These are guys whose close friendships are well-defined. But I’m not talking about the obvious ones. Today’s list looks at some of the more surprising and unexpected movie bromances. Now with so many out there I wouldn’t call this the definitive list. But there’s no denying that these five movie bromances are not only surprising but phenomenal.
#5 – Joker & Noah (“The Defiant Ones”)
There are a number of reasons why the bromance between Joker and Noah in Stanley Kramer’s “The Defiant Ones” is surprising. First, it didn’t start that way. In fact the two men despised each other. The escaped convicts were shackled together by a prison warden with “a sense of humor” and for most of the film we wonder who is going to kill who first. There was also racial tensions between the two, one man white and one man black, which boils over into several scenes. But over time an amazing thing happens. The two men begin to gain a respect for each other and their unusual circumstances forge one of the most unlikely bromances.
#4 – Jules & Jim (“Jules et Jim”)
Jules is an Austrian writer and Jim is a reclusive Frenchman. The two meet in Paris and become inseparable friends. That doesn’t sound like a surprising bromance, does it? The surprise isn’t that they became friends. The surprise is that they maintained their friendship. First came World War I which saw Jules and Jim fighting on opposite sides. But the biggest obstacle to their bromance comes in the form of Catherine. She’s a beautiful and free-spirited woman that captivates the two friends. As you can expect, both fall in love with her yet maintain a friendship that we usually don’t see in movies. The movie branches into some strange directions which makes their sustained bromance all the more surprising.
#3 – Bodhi & Johnny (“Point Break”)
If you look at their personalities, desires, and overall approaches to life the bromance between Bodhi and Johnny in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Point Break” makes perfect sense. There’s only one problem (and trust me, it’s a big one) – Bodhi is wanted by the law and Johnny is the FBI agent assigned to take him down. But Johnny’s undercover work brings him into Bodhi’s world and the two develop a strong bond which makes Johnny’s dedication to his assignment even tougher. He never wavers in his pursuit even as their bromance grows stronger. It leads to a number of great encounters between the two surprisingly good friends.
#2 – King George & Lionel (“The King’s Speech”)
Now this could easily be the most surprising bromance on this list. Two men who couldn’t be more opposite in terms of their social status and place of power come together in a moment of desperation. The newly crowned King George VI is the right man to take over the crown, but he has one significant problem. He uncontrollably stammers which makes public speaking and communication (an absolute necessity at that time) frustrating and impossible. That’s when he reluctantly employs the help of Lionel, an Australian speech therapist. Their lifestyles clash. Their living conditions clash. Their personalities clash. Yet through all of that they develop an incredibly touching friendship that is most certainly surprising.
#1 – Driss & Philippe (“The Intouchables”)
One of my favorite films from the last few years is “The Intouchables” and it just so happens to feature one of the most surprising bromances. Philippe is a wealthy quadriplegic who lives in Paris. His condition requires a permanent live-in caregiver an that’s where the cocky streetwise Driss comes in. The problem is Driss only applies in order to get a check from the government for job searching. But Philippe likes Driss’ brash approach to things while Driss likes the idea of living it up in Philippe’s mansion. Several obvious conflicts arise between these two polar opposites but a fascinating bromance develops between these two men who desperately need new directions in their lives. It’s a fantastic movie.
So there are my five surprising movie bromances that stand out above the rest. Agree or disagree? I would to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
Keith & the Movies 
Great list, Keith. Love the theme. I really want to get to The Intouchables, that’s right up my alley.
It’s a fabulous film man! Definitely worth checking out. It has such a strong script and two great lead performances.
Nice one! I haven’t seen #5 or #1 – would you recommend The Intouchables then? I just watched Midnight Cowboy for the first time over the weekend, the Joe Buck / Ratso Rizzo friendship in that is a pretty unlikely bromance.
HIGHLY recommend “The Intouchables”. Really good movie with a lot of heart and some really good laughs sprinkled in.
You’re so right about the “Midnight Cowboy” bromance. I actually did consider that one. I just saw it for the first time a couple of years ago. I’m not as crazy about it as many are but that bromance is a very surprising one!
OK I will keep an eye out for it!
Cool. Let me know what you think about it. I do know it was on Netflix streaming recently.
All good choices, Keith. I would add Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto for their friendship as Kirk and Spock.
That’s a good one! It also fits the category of surprising. They are certainly polar opposites yet their friendship developed despite of that. Great mention Cindy. I like the inclusion of the “surprising” element”. Without it the list could be bombarded with buddy cop movies, etc.
This is a really interesting idea for a list, great choices!
Thanks! I threw “surprising” in to make it more intriguing. So many still came to mind.
Very nice list! I would venture to add Kirk and Spock (either ‘team’ Pine/Quinto or Shater/Lemoy fits, I think), and also Ron and Harry from the Harry Potter series. Perhaps the latter is a bit contemporary but I think they do have a significant friendship.
Kirk and Spock is an excellent mention. It also fits the description of surprising considering how different the two characters over. As for Harry Potter, this may be insane to admit, but I haven’t seen any of those movies yet. I know, I know, it’s nuts and I have to give them a watch at some point!
Watching Harry Potter can be a bit of a challenge, especially with the hype that surrounds them. Personally I love them (and the books), so they are worth a try. 🙂
I really do feel bad about calling myself a movie fan yet not checking them out. I mean they are so popular I know I need to give them a shot.
Nice job! Love your 1st and 5th picks, Keith.
Thanks man. Had a lot of fun putting this one together.
Great list Keith! Love love love Intouchables! The relationship between the characters takes us on such a journey. Great to see George and Lionel on your list too.
Good to hear you love The Intouchables as much as I do. Such a good movie. I just loved the central relationship.
King George & Lionel! Love that addition. It’s their friendship that made the movie so emotional for me.
Exactly! It was a very surprising friendship. Polar opposites were brought together by a very unique circumstance. I’m with you, that is what made the movie so good.
Gotta love that Bodhi and Johnny bromance, brah!! Great flick.
Thanks man. It certainly fits the list doesn’t it? I’m a big fan of it too.
Great list! YES on Intouchables, absolutely heartwarming. Love Bodhi & Johnny, too bad they’re remaking this one, blech!
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I still haven’t seen The Intouchables! Got it here but just haven’t seen it yet! Great choice on The King’s Speech though, love the relationship between those two.
Oh you gotta check out The Intouchables. Such a great movie. Well worth seeing my friend.
Great choices as always Keith.
Thanks man! Appreciate it!
A very unusual list, though Dith Pran and Sydney Schanberg from The Killing Fields will always be my choice
Wow, speaking of interesting choice! I really like it though. Definitely surprising although I never thought of it as a bromance. I think it fits. Great one to mention!
Good, eclectic mix of films there Keith. Particularly nice to see The Intouchables feature at number one, and nice catch on The Defiant Ones (an important film in its own right).
Thanks Dan. I was really going for variety. Still there are so many good ones that were tough to leave off. It was a lot of fun to put together.
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