Is 'Bros' Getting Review Bombed?

How did the review index for "Bros" on IMDb plummet to 5.5 out of 10 on September 23?

On that date, there were 312 one-star reviews out of 678 despite the film not being out in public theaters until 30 September for US audiences and 28 October for the U.K. movie news website Slash Film.

The reviews, however, have been scrubbed from the movie's page, including critic reviews due to IMDb's system not separating those reviews from IMDb users.

Removing the one-star reviews from the mix, "43 percent of the remaining reviews give the movie ten stars, and 78 percent give the movie at least seven stars," writes Out.

"Most non-critics haven't even had a chance to see the film yet," Out adds. "It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9 but doesn't hit regular theaters until September 30. So who are the people giving Bros one-star reviews? Who are the people who claim to have seen it?"

Review bombing refers to the toxic practice of giving a piece of media a negative review en masse in order to deter potential viewers from consuming it. "It is usually done because of the bigoted views of the review bombers – with homophobia as the seemingly driving force behind this instance," adds Pink News.

At Rotten Tomatoes "Bros" currently has a 94% rating calculated from 36 critics' reviews. Rotten Tomatoes doesn't allow an audience rating until after a film opens.

Richard Lawson at Vanity Fair calls the film "charming... 'Bros' leans into the giddy little revolution of its own existence, inviting the audience into a good, gay time that hasn't exactly happened, in this way, before."

At the BBC.com, Caryn James writes "'Bros' races along almost until the end when it embraces romcom elements, including a montage, that land as more clichéd than subversive. But that doesn't make the rest of this charming film any less entertaining and effective."

At the Queer Review, James Kleinmann gives the film five out of five stars. "With a screenplay co-written with Stoller, Eichner has created a quintessential New York rom-com that consistently hits every romantic and comedy beat. As director, Stoller maintains the momentum and delivers a pace that never falters, orchestrating a comic rhythm that keeps things sizzling, while also allowing the movie's emotional moments time to breathe."

He adds. "'Bros' is a triumph. An instant classic rom-com that's up there with the best in the genre, while delivering something fresh, contemporary, and very queer. It's romantic and feel-good, with something to say. Without seeing ourselves in history–or on screen in big studio rom-coms–it can be hard for us to find our place in the world."

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