Netflix loves to trumpet their championing of cinematic auteurs like Martin Scorsese, Jane Campion, Alfonso Cuaron and Greta Gerwig, among many others. But you get the feeling that what they’re really excited about is recycling tried-and-true formulas. And their movies don’t get more formulaic than the new odd couple-style comedy starring John Cena and Eric André. If Little Brother feels familiar while you’re watching it, it’s because this is a film so pre-digested that it’s as if a bird ate Twins, What About Bob? and Planes, Trains and Automobiles and then spit the contents into your mouth.
Little Brother also attempts to resurrect the R-rated, raunchy comedy genre, a former theatrical staple that, with rare exceptions, has not fared well in recent years. This effort isn’t likely to restore its fortunes, unless you find the idea of John Cena receiving anilingus while leaning his massive upper body out of a car hysterically funny.
Little Brother
The Bottom Line
Formulaic enough to give algorithms a bad name.
