Brian and Charles

The film Brian and Charles has all the quintessential elements of a perfect friendship film. Director Jim Archer makes his feature debut in this quirky British comedy in which an eclectic cast does a spectacular job demonstrating the very real ebbs and flows of true companionship. Despite some significantly low moments in their friendship, including an explosive argument, Brian and Charles remind us that true friendship never dies; it only strengthens through adversity.

Brian and Charles' friendship has an unconventional origin. Brian (David Earl) is an isolated inventor in Wales who specializes in weird inventions. Despite his passion, his interventions often flop. Driven by depression and loneliness, Brian builds a robot using a washing machine and spare parts lying around his home. Charles is clunky yet charming. He is obsessed with cabbage, uses the dictionary to learn English, and loves socializing, dancing, and adventures.

In this film, Brian, played by David Earl, has finally invented the cure for his loneliness. What he doesn't anticipate is that Charles, played by Chris Hayward, is much more of a free spirit than he is. Despite their dance parties, pillow fights, and mutual love for cabbage, Charles deeply desires to see the world, while Charles is content with a quaint and straightforward life in Wales. One of my favorite parts of the film was watching Charles dance in a hula skirt and beg to go to Honolulu. Their competing wishes ultimately become the source of tension in their friendship. While the film centers on Brian and Charles, Louise Brealey's performance as Hazel, Brian's love interest, is worth mentioning. Their awkward yet sweet interactions between her and Brian give the film comedic relief.

Brian and Charles reminds us that sometimes "friend" is actually another word for family, and sometimes loving someone means letting them go. Brian and Charles' friendship survived heated disagreements, conflicting visions, and even a kidnapping. But, ultimately, they proved that the love would never fade no matter the distance between them.

I give Brian and Charles 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 9 to18, plus adults. Brian and Charles releases in theaters June 17, 2022.

By Hanadie K., KIDS FIRST!

BRIAN AND CHARLES is a gentle and deeply silly movie that is surprisingly touching when it's all said and done. Coming in at a brisk 79 minutes, the movie-makers knew they had a slight story to tell, and haven't padded it. Tell your quirky story and get out. Yet, in this brief time, it says some pretty touching things about the need for friendship and connection, the impact of finding it, and also, strangely, reminds us that being a home-body who doesn't want to leave the local valley or a wanderer who wants to see the world are both valid and fulfilling choices, if freely chosen.

Brian is a middle aged Welshman living in a gorgeous but harsh area of Wales. Rolling hills, sheep herds, quaint villages and a stunning river. But Brian lives alone is his ramshackle home and adjacent workshop. Unkempt and shy, Brian occupies his time mostly with his nusto inventions that never work. For example, he crafts a flying machine made with a bicycle that has a grandfather clock strapped to it so that he can fly over his village and shout out the time to anyone who needs it. It's a failure, of course. But his construction of it shows us how eccentric he is and how much he wants to be of use to his fellow man; the fellow man he struggles to connect with. Other constructs of his are equally unsuccessful, and of dubious need.

One day, finds the head of a mannequin, and decides to build himself a robot. And stunningly (and without any explanation whatsoever), the robot works. This is Charles (or as Charles dubs himself "Charles Petrescu", surely the most random name a Welsh robot has ever given himself). A friendship of sorts forms between the two, but it's a bond that grows and evolves in gently surprising ways. And Charles is just the "social lubricant" that Brian needs to engage more in the world around him.

Minor dramas ensue, and poor Charles has some unfortunate adventures...but none of it is too taxing. This is not a film to get your heart rate up to much. But it never takes an easy path in telling its story. Charles can be extremely funny at times, but also a frustrating pain in the neck at others. And Brian can be a great "father figure" at times, and a churlish brat at others. It all has the air of a forgotten folk tale, yet there's real heart here.

Although devoid of belly laughs (and not trying for any), I found myself smiling throughout almost all the film, chuckling aloud a few times, and as I said, being surprisingly touched by the conclusion of this film.

And I must say that the "design" of Charles is remarkable. A mannequin head with hair attached, with a torso made of an old washing machine and wobbly but almost human looking legs, all wrapped in comfortable sweaters and brown tones. He's a sight-gag that never stops being amusing. Yet coupled with the outstanding voice performance of Chris Hayward, Charles Petrescu is a robot for the ages.

BRIAN AND CHARLES is destined to be a minor cult movie at best, and probably, realistically, it will mostly be forgotten. That is a shame. This is a tiny, independent robot movie with heart that punches above its weight, and deserves a broader audience.

This film could really teach the Hollywood, big budget movies a thing or two.

It's the simple tale of a lonely inventor who invents a robot out of what is lying around his dilapidated Welsh farm.

Simply told in a documentary style, the dreariness off the weather and the landscape play alongside the loneliness and awkwardness of our protagonist.

The equally socially awkward love interest is excellently done as is all the acting in the movie. Brian Earl, who steals all the scenes alongside Ricky Gervais in Afterlife and Derek, essentially plays the same character but dialled back a little.

Highly recommended.

In this dry season, I looked to some dry UK humor to accompany my dry martini. In director Jim Archer's brilliant Brian and Charles, wit and heart are the essential ingredients as small-town Welch citizen Brian (David Earl) is all beard and glasses inventing useless objects like an egg-carrying belt and a flying cuckoo clock, which he launches from a bicycle with disastrous results.

Brian's my kind of eccentric, a quirky introvert lucky to find a lady, Hazel (Louise Brealey), an equally introverted heart who loves Brian for the reasons others find him weird.

With nothing better to do, he creates robot Charles, seven feet of rubber head and box chest and the sarcastic inquisitiveness of a teen waiting for the chance to escape and see the world. Being led around town virtually on a leash, Charles is ready to bolt while retaining a loving attitude toward his maker.

It's a bit of Frankenstein mixed with Iron Giant, peppered with R2-D2 love and C-3PO attitude. The glasses give him a smart impression and the blue eye a sinister suggestion. But he, too, is all heart. As in any summer comedy worth anything, conflict finds its place in the town bully, Eddie (Jamie Michie), attacking meek Brian and his creation.

What happens is not so much a surprise as it is a satisfying resolution fitting a sleepy town enfolded in white clouds, grey days, and simplicity. Murren Tullett's crisp cinematography will convince you to book a flight to Wales, and Daniel Pemberto's energetic electronic score will make you forget Danny Elfman's musical genius but remind you of Pemberto's Spider-Verse compositions.

Daniel and Charles has a soothing, loving humanity to take you out of Top Gun, Jurassic World, and Thor and give you a walking stick to explore little UK towns that contain lo-fi conflict enough for multiverses. One of the best movies of the year and arguably the best so far this summer.

I was trying to kill some time and take a little break from a boring conference I was attending. There was multiplex cinema next door to conference center and the film "Brian and Charles" was playing there. I had no idea what the film was about but decided to go on impulse. Wow, I couldn't be more delighted with what I experienced. It is a charming film about a relationship between a man and a robot he invented. It is funny and heartwarming with wonderful performances and beautiful cinematography depicting the rugged land and stark beauty of Wales.

The humor in the film is subtle and refreshingly clever. The main characters are well developed and believable. In short if you need a little pick me up and a feel good experience I cannot recommend this little film enough.