Everyone’s going through something, but not everyone has to contend with the fact that their issues are fully on display for others to see. Society has evolved to a degree where it’s possible for people to understand that not everyone moves through the world in the same way and certain conditions and disabilities manifest in unexpected and sometimes jarring ways, but that doesn’t make it much easier for a high school student teased frequently because of something he can’t control. Brian presents a sympathetic portrait of being different with a protagonist who has every reason to hate his life but seems set on giving something new and completely out of character a shot.
Brian (Ben Wang) is prone to what he and his classmates call “freakouts.” After not getting any feedback – good or bad – on his audition for the school play, his resulting outburst at a teacher means that the one part of school he likes, drama club, is off the table too. But when he realizes that running for class president will enable him to work closely with his teacher crush, Brooke (Natalie Morales), he becomes an unlikely candidate, working with his new friend, impossibly nice transfer student Justin (Joshua Colley), as his campaign manager.
Brian marks the feature directorial debut of actor Will Ropp, working from a screenplay by Mike Scollins, a longtime member of the Late Night with Seth Meyers writing staff. This film’s SXSW description opens with “It sucks to be Brian,” describing the many reasons why he wouldn’t be happy, and it throws a handful more in at home. While his brother Kyle (Sam Song Li) insults him relentlessly, his parents (Edi Patterson and Randall Park) are theoretically supportive, but even they can’t help from laughing when he tells them about his candidacy. They know enough to keep him alive and reasonably stable, but the way in which they do that isn’t through the kindest approach, and it seems like someone being nice to him is just what he needs, which makes Justin’s arrival such an important turning point for him.
Audiences will surely want to root for Brian even if he does make some unfortunate choices that could indeed have been avoided. But the way in which he can’t choose to stifle his body’s response to being triggered and set off is something that is surely relatable to anyone who doesn’t act entirely normally in social situations, and who hasn’t always been given the grace that perhaps they need something different. Brian also remarks that he wishes everyone wasn’t so well aware of his tendency for outbursts since too much understanding also doesn’t always benefit him or afford him any degree of privacy.
While it does offer an important look at mental health, this film is first and foremost a comedy, and it’s very funny. Putting actors like Patterson and Park in the supporting cast is an excellent move, and William H. Macy also has a small part as Brian’s therapist who tries to come at him in an unusual way with humor rather than straight analysis. Brian has two opponents for president who are inarguably stronger candidates but also have their flaws, and Jacob Moskovitz and Sophia Macy both bring plenty of fantastic personality to them, making any election-related scenes very worthwhile and entertaining.
Ultimately, the true heart of this film is Wang, whose roles in the TV series American Born Chinese and Karate Kid: Legends were followed up last year by a more serious part in The Long Walk. Here, he fully engages with and taps into Brian’s state of mind, wearing the exhaustion he feels constantly trying to put on an act for everyone else. He’s at his best when he shows what happens after Brian’s freakouts and how the character grows slowly as he realizes the seemingly small steps he can take to level the playing field slightly. Brian is a feel-good film about a character who so often feels bad, finding humor and hope for someone who feels ready to give up on even trying.
Movie Rating: 8/10
