Our ‘Brian and Charles’ review was first published as part of our Sundance Film Festival 2022 coverage.
Where to watch: In theaters this Friday, June 17, 2022.
As you may be able to guess based on its simple, humble title, Brian and Charles is a modestly made, pleasant little movie. Its only desire is to charm and delight audiences with its bumbling but lovable characters and its sweetly conceived–if overly conventional–story.
Written by David Earl and Chris Hayward, the pair also stars as the film’s titular pals. Brian (David Earl) is a big, bearded and bespectacled, and all-around quirky guy. He’s clearly an odd duck, living by himself outside of town in a cottage that’s filled with clunky junk and bric-a-brac everywhere.
But Brian’s a positive lad, grinning from ear to ear with an upbeat demeanor as he proudly displays his highly impractical self-made contraptions. He’s able to quite literally show off his inventions to “us,” as the film uses a mockumentary filmmaking style similar to Ricky Gervais’ The Office or Taika Waititi’s Flight of the Concords, which adds a lighthearted levity to the film.
While dumpster diving one day, Brian finds a dummy head amongst the mountains of trash and waste. Staring back at its lifeless face, he mutters to himself, “Why haven’t I thought of that before?” Apparently, building himself a robot buddy–although he’s lived an otherwise lonely life–has never crossed his mind, until now.
He takes it back home and begins building the rest of his body, making himself a new friend. It’s not until the morning after a lightning-fueled storm that Brian is surprised to find his new creation alive and looking back at him.
Imagine the funny version of Frankenstein and his creation, and you’ve pretty much got the set-up of Brian and Charles. Comically disproportional, the robot–who they both agree to name “Charles” (Hayward)–towers over the already-tall Brian. His awkwardly boxy washing machine for a body makes him goofily imbalanced, but his old scholarly look makes him look dignified (a comic balance).
Brian and Charles’s friendship immediately blossoms. Brian teaches Charles new words from the dictionary, and the two enjoy the simple pleasures of dancing to pop music in the kitchen. You’re likely going to love this movie if your idea of funny is a guy who’s clearly in a robot costume dancing poorly and constantly repeating the word “cabbage” to draw laughs.
The new buddies continue having their fun, including Brian’s equally awkward friend Hazel (Louise Brealey), with who Brian begins connecting closer. But you can probably guess the hurdles that are to come. The more Charles learns, the more he desires to see the world (Honolulu particularly, even going so far as to make his own Hawaiian skirt).
Brian, having only wished to build himself a companion to accommodate his comfortably sedentary lifestyle, shuts down Charles’s every request to leave the house to explore all of life’s adventures. Brian fears for how the outside world would react to Charles, either with disgust or desire to take him. But his protectiveness is beyond the concern of an overly-protective parent and is clearly a fear from his own lack of social comfort (a point I wish the movie developed further here).
The threat of the town bullies–Eddie (Jamie Michie) and twin daughters (Lowri and Mari Izzard)–is the biggest obstacle for Charles. It’s up to Brian to help his new friend steer clear of danger, if they can keep their friendship together first.
As Brian, David Earl is a dopey but good-hearted and endearing guy (picture Michael Scott and Hodor). As Charles, well… Chris Hayward is mostly trapped in a clunky robot costume; but the two together have an undeniable chemistry that’s perhaps even more impressive when you consider one of them can hardly see or move around, and they’re able to create this connection.
While I wasn’t overly stunned with any part of the film, Brian and Charles is still a delightful film that will likely entertain you. And, isn’t that what friends are for?
90 min.
