Script Analysis: “Bros” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

Today: Bros (2022). You may download the script here.

Bros
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
By Lora Covrett
GoIntoTheStory.com

P. 1–3 Protagonist Bobby Lieber’s LGBTQ history podcast. He is taking caller questions, surrounded by books he’s authored on the topic of gay history. Smash cuts between podcast and various interviews where he’s saying ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS GAY!, Queer Eye audition, pitching rom-com.

P. 4–5 Christin Chenoweth introduces Bobby at the LGBTQ Pride awards. An ancient hieroglyphic image of two men touching noses is the backdrop, Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum — the first two recorded gay men. Bobby announces the opening of the first National LGBTQ History Museum — his passion project.

P. 5 Gold’s gym, Bobby talking to Joel and lying about what music he is listening to so he can seem cooler. Bobby’s voiceover at the gym insists the Egyptian men were not just “Bros”. Title Card: Bros

P. 5–7 Bobby unable to compete in fitness classes — crossfit, treadmill/woodchopping, Don Lemon wrestling, pogoton with Cody Rigsby, World War I cardio where Bobby fails to carry a fake injured soldier. Aaron Shephard climbs a wall.

Bobby has an awkward Grindr hookup with a bro.

Smash cut of Bobby walking through the city after the hookup to the podcast.

P. 8–11 Bobby on Instagram Live to update fans before entering the LGBTQ museum boardroom. Joke setup — Bobby ends his Instagram Live with “everyone is getting along.” In the boardroom everyone argues from their point of view as to what the final wing of the museum should be about — lesbians, bi-sexuals, AIDS memorial, and a queer wedding are ideas discussed. Cherry (lesbian), Robert (bi-sexual), Angela, Wanda, Tamara (only here to document for social media)

P. 11–16 Dinner with Ina and her husband Edgar, married friends Peter and Paul, their new friend Marty and married couple Tom and Lucas. Announcements: Tom and Lucas are having triplets, Peter and Paul are in a throuple with Marty. Bobby makes a joke about how serious could this throuple be, are they going to tell their grandmothers?

Paul’s Grandma in Georgia answering the phone to learn of the three-some. Grandpa is happy about the throuple. Bobby expresses why he’s single — because he’s gay and doesn’t trust men enough to be faithful to him. “Love is not love.” Bobby says he’s happy but we know he’s not. Bobby is late for a party and he wanted to have time to change first. Tina sets up the next joke, saying they will just take their shirts off.

P. 16–22 Bobby meets his single friend Henry at a dance club. All the guys at the club are on their phones. Aaron Shepard looks up at Bobby. Aaron (shirtless — payoff to joke earlier) approaches Bobby. Aaron and Bobby talk and flirt, making fun of guys voguing on the dance floor. Bobby dismisses Aaron at first due to his bro-ness but realizes there’s more to him and he might like him. Aaron disappears mid-conversation. He is emotionally unavailable.

P. 22–25 Later — still at the bar — Aaron re-appears. He’s there with a bunch of shirtless friends. Aaron and Bobby make fun of the other gay guys being too dumb to understand satire and for voguing. Both feel misunderstood and they bond on that. They “get” each other. Aaron is aloof until Bobby confronts him. They share an intense kiss. Bobby asks him to come home with him but he can’t — because of a pre-scheduled hookup with a baseball player. Bobby leaves angrily but gives Aaron his number. Of course, he runs into the voguing guys he and Aaron were chiding.

P. 26–27 Bobby’s apartment. Back on Grindr. Guy wants to see his ass. Bobby takes ass pics, falls over. Shaves it. Now he’s cut and bleeding. He shaves his shoulder and takes a pic and sends it. “Just for you, bro.” The guy blocks him. Falls asleep to a bisexual Christmas movie on the Hallheart channel. Alone. Aaron texts him in the morning.

P. 27–33 Aaron’s office. Helping Melvin Funk prepare his will. It’s a depressing job.

Cut to Bobby’s house — Aaron is texting. Intercut between Aaron’s office and Bobby’s apartment as they text like bros. Both are being weird about wanting to hang out and do “whatever” and “whenever” is good for both.

P. 33–36 Aaron and Bobby are walking by a church. The historian, Bobby, explains how churches cut gay stories out of existence. Aaron thinks the stained glass windows are pretty. Bobby thinks Aaron is “secretly very funny.” [This symbolism of the glass will be important later] They walk and talk — about Bobby’s deceased parents (Bobby shows vulnerability), Aaron saves Bobby from a bee. Aaron’s favorite movie is “The Hangover” and that sends Bobby into a tailspin. The first line of that move is “Paging Doctor Faggot.” Bobby hates the “bro comedies.” Bobby is intense.

P. 36–40 Bobby and Aaron are watching a gay romantic scene in a movie on this first date. Very bro-y movie. Josh Evans is an old teammate of Aaron’s. Josh is with his fiancé, Samantha. Aaron is evasive about being on a date with Bobby and calls the movie they just saw, “some dumb movie.” Lots of “bro” talk. Josh was Aaron’s crush in school.

P. 40–41 The date ends in front of Bobby’s apartment — because Aaron gets a text from the hot baseball player and his husband. Or does it end here? Bobby and Aaron are making out, naked…while the baseball player and his husband are on their knees in front of Aaron. The date ends with Bobby trying to act as if this is all okay as he slips out.

P. 42- 44 Tina and Edward’s son Brian might be gay because he’s obsessed with Bohemian Rhapsody so they encourage him to spend time with gay uncle Bobby. They have a daughter Hanna too. Bobby talks about Aaron to Tina about the “bro” problems. But, he does need a plus one for a work thing. Joke setup– asking if he’ll be on stage and he says no because he’s not a narcissistic sociopath.

P. 44–48 Joke payoff- Bobby is on stage at the LGBTQ Museum fundraising party. Aaron is in the audience. Bobby takes Aaron on a tour of the museum. The museum is sad, Aaron is sad and depressed about his career. Bobby shoots down Aaron’s suggestions as “dumb.” Debra Messing’s agent may want to make a donation because she said something offensive recently. Bobby leaves to take the call because they need $5 million for the final exhibit. Aaron has a moment where he looks at his reflection. The plaque changes to: “Popular on Grindr. Hated his job. Worked out a lot.” He runs away again.

P. 48–50 At the board meeting the next morning, Bobby makes his pitch for a Gay Lincoln to be the final exhibit. Nobody agrees. Bobby is pre-occupied because Aaron is not returning his texts. Debra Messing has arrived.

P. 50–51 Bobby meets Debra and the conversation is going okay until Bobby asks her opinion on his “boy problems.” She has a meltdown. She is not Grace. No donation.

P. 52–53 New workout — xxxtreme ballpit with Henry, Tina, Tom and Lucas. Lucas and Tom get an ultrasound picture during the workout. Everyone is committed and happy so Bobby attacks them. He clearly longs for a relationship but won’t admit it. They try to talk him into dating but he says they never look like their picture when meeting in real life (setup for montage of dates that don’t look like their pic) — and insists he likes being alone.

P. 54–58 Montage of dates that don’t match their pictures until one does. Sam does so they hookup. Sam is into weird, funny sex stuff and again, Bobby pretends that this is cool but it’s not.

P. 58–59 Aaron is on a video call with his mom, Anne and his brother, Jason. Jason is getting divorced. Anne tells Aaron that Josh Evans broke up with his fiance and is gay. Josh is super bro-y. Aaron watches Jason’s coming out video.

P. 59–61 The throuple wakes up together: Peter, Paul and Marty. Bobby calls asking for their advice. Everyone is advising him to move on. Bobby is home cooking dinner later and Aaron finally texts. Bobby and Aaron are in the park; Bobby is on a blanket but Aaron is laying on the grass next to the blanket. Emotionally distant, physically distant. He tells Bobby about his friend Jason coming out.

P. 61–64 Flashback — hunting trip when Aaron (20) comes out to his brother, Jason, (22).

Split screen — Bobby’s coming out — his parents applauding his 12 year old performance of “Maybe” in Annie. Bobby clocks Aaron watching some jocks playing football. Bobby starts hitting Aaron trying to be more like one of the bros. The football bros run over thinking there’s a fight. Bobby and Aaron are making out and the football bros slowly back away.

P. 64–68 Aaron and Bobby continue their awkward wrestling match in the bedroom of Aaron’s apartment. Bobby finally relaxes and they make love. They lay together, careful not to be too intimate or act like they might really care for each other. Keeping up the bros act. Aaron surprises Bobby with a confession that he’s always dreamed of being a chocolatier. Aaron sort of invites himself to Bobby’s fundraiser in Provincetown. Things are getting serious.

P. 68- 70 Louis welcomes Bobby and Aaron to their guest house in Provincetown. Louis is an older gay man that survived aids. His friends didn’t. Bobby walks in on Aaron injecting testosterone. Bobby gets weird. Aaron is embarrassed.

P. 71–75 Bobby and Aaron go to Lawrence Grape’s house. Lawrence is a TV exec that Bobby needs a big donation from for the museum (since losing Debra Messing). Aaron tells Bobby he heard him singing in the shower. Bobby is mortified. The meeting goes off the rails when Grape pitches Bobby a kind of gay trauma coaster ride for the final museum exhibit. Aaron jumps in and saves the day by telling Grape he’s a storyteller and to accomplish his tale, he’ll need to donate at least $5 million. He agrees. Done.

P. 75- 81 Bobby kisses Aaron before running off to get on the parade float. Kissing in public is one step closer to being a couple, for two guys that don’t date or get serious. Aaron is drunk on the sideline watching the parade. Three “Twitter Witches” (gay guys in costume on the sidelines) insult Bobby and Aaron punches them. An all out brawl starts. During all the fighting, there’s cut back and forth between the LGBT Museum and the parade — Bobby telling Aaron he can’t just punch people even if they were making fun of Bobby. Supposedly not dating but Aaron is fighting for Bobby.

P. 81–83 Later at a private beach at the rental house, Bobby and Aaron continue their talk about Aaron leaving his job and becoming a chocolatier. They end up dancing. Aaron really can’t dance.

P. 83–84 Back at the house, they make love again. This time Aaron asks Bobby to top him and he does. While singing the song from the shower, “She’s Like the Wind.”

P. 85 They drive back to NYC. Montage of Aaron and Bobby’s life together as a couple, with Bobby’s friends, holidays, and visiting chocolate shops for Bobby’s museum opening.

P. 86–87 Josh Evans shows up at a party at Bobby’s apartment. Later Aaron is drunk and calls Bobby over to make out with him and Josh. Another random guy, Steve, joins. They all go to the bedroom. Bobby is stuck with Steve as Josh and Aaron go at it. Bobby is jealous.

P. 88–89 Aaron’s parents are coming to town for Christmas. He asks Bobby to join them but to be “chill” (ie don’t talk gay or about gay stuff)

P. 89–90 Bobby gives Aaron’s parents and brother a tour of NYC. Because he’s a gay historian, he fills them in on all his historical knowledge at every tourist stop. Aaron’s mom has arranged for the group to meet up with Josh Evans for dinner.

P. 90–92 At the HallHeart Christmas Village, with Josh and Aaron’s parents and brother, Aaron pulls Bobby aside and asks him to tone it down on all the gay talk.

P. 92–96 At dinner, Bobby is being quiet as Aaron asked. Aaron’s mom is a second grade teacher and she and Bobby get into a passive-aggressive argument about teaching elementary kids about gay history. The conversation ends with Bobby inadvertently outing Aaron as being miserable at his job — the specific thing Aaron asked Bobby not to mention because his parents are proud he’s a lawyer.

P. 96–101 Bobby and Aaron argue about what just happened. Aaron gets in a cab to go meet Josh at a bar. Bobby follows Aaron to the bar and finds Aaron and Josh making out in an alley outside the bar. The guys have a big break up fight. Bobby is near tears. A producer approaches asking Bobby to sign a release because they’ve been filming the fight for a reality show starring Josh Evans.

P. 101–103 Bobby’s apartment is a mess. He’s crying watching HallHeart movies and Queer Eye. He wants a make-over. Bobby calls Henry and asks to try steroids. He wants to be buff. At the gym, Bobby turns his hat around and deepens his voice to be more bro-y and approaches Joel (from the first gym scene). Joel: Sup Bobby: Sup Bobby struggles to spot Joel but he manages to keep up the bro act.

P. 103–104 They go back to Joel’s apartment and hook up. Afterward, Bobby lets his bro voice slip. Joel freaks out. It turns out Joel would have been attracted to Bobby even if he hadn’t faked the voice, but now, it’s too weird.

P. 104–107 Bobby gives himself another steroid injection. There is an emergency museum meeting. The group wants to remove the Lincoln exhibit. Bobby is furious. He’s not sure how gay or straight he’s supposed to act to find love. He takes a pride flag and is about to destroy a Pete Buttigieg statue when the lesbians tackle him. Bobby tries to fire them. Can’t fire them. The board quits.

P. 107–109 Candlelight Crossfit class. Bobby cries to Henry at the class that he has roid rage. Henry informs Bobby that he’s not crying because of steroids, he’s crying because his heart is broken and he does need someone. Paul and Marty are there too. They all get a cell phone alert — the babies are coming.

P. 109 -112 All the guys are holding the triplets at the hospital. All happy but Bobby is missing Aaron. Bobby sees the stained glass windows of the hospital chapel and has an idea. Bobby calls the board together and makes a heartfelt apology to the team. Bobby reveals a new presentation to the board. They respond positively.

P. 112–116 Aaron and Josh are at the bar together. Josh goes to dance. Aaron locates Bobby online. Turns out he’s at the same club. He approaches Bobby. Aaron apologizes. He practically begs Bobby to take him back. Bobby simply can’t trust Aaron. Aaron leaves in tears and tells Bobby to believe he is loveable. The last exhibit at the museum will be about love, something Bobby says he knows nothing about.

P. 116–118 At the LGBTQ Senior Center, Aaron walks in with Melvin Funk. Melvin doesn’t want to be there. Three old queens, Roger, Jerry, and Max join Melvin in conversation about a Diana Ross musical. An older man, Colman, asks Aaron to hold his hand.

P. 118 Aaron is sadly looking at pictures of Bobby and eating chocolate in bed. He has an idea while looking at the chocolates. He quits his job. Bobby is scrolling through Grindr when he gets a text from Aaron letting him know he quit. Bobby doesn’t respond.

P. 119–121 Bobby throws away his steroid syringes. Aaron is making chocolates in his kitchen. He visits the shop that he and Bobby visited earlier over the holiday season. He pitches the owner and is given a corner of the shop to work on his chocolates. Again, Aaron sends Bobby a video of his chocolate work. Again, Bobby does not respond. Jason is crashing at Aaron’s apartment due to an impending divorce. He and Aaron finally talk about Aaron being gay and Aaron learns his family was not offended by Bobby but actually liked his enthusiasm and thought he was smart. They liked him. His brother knows Bobby is upset because Aaron told him not to be himself. He encourages Aaron to get Bobby back. Aaron thinks Bobby is strong and doesn’t need him.

P. 121–124 At the LGBTQ Museum opening. Debra Messing is there. An animatronic Leonardo Di Vinci, the roller coaster cart is there (Lawrence Grape’s contribution), gallery of gender non-conforming icons. Tina tells Bobby she enjoyed seeing him happy when he was with Aaron. Bobby didn’t want to want someone this much. After her kids pull her away, Bobby struggles to decide what to text Aaron when he finally texts back. He decides on “Hey. What’s up?”

P. 124–125 Aaron and Jason are still playing video games when he gets Bobby’s text. They celebrate. “Yeah, bro!” Aaron wants to go workout. Jason stops him and tells him to go to Bobby and forget the gym.

P. 125–130 Aaron jogs through the city. He stops at a poster for Bobby’s museum, then runs to the Museum party. It’s time for the toast. Still no response from Aaron. Bobby is onstage, mid-speech when he sees Aaron in the crowd. Bobby runs to Bobby after his speech. Debra Messing approaches, but Bobby puts her off. Bobby and Aaron profess their love and embrace in a passionate kiss. Bobby explains that Aaron was trying so hard to be a bro on the outside and Bobby was trying to be a bro on the inside. Bobby drops to one knee and asks Aaron to date him for three months and then reassess. Gives him a ring he borrows from Tina. The gay Twitter witches are there being insulting again.

P. 130 Bobby takes Aaron on a tour of the final wing. All the possibilities. A hologram of Ben Stiller greets them. Holograms of Eleanor Roosevelt, Harvey Milk, James Baldwin.

Ben Stiller: It’s a Night at the Gay Museum.

P. 131 A stained glass installation featuring LGBTQ families.

Bobby dances. Aaron dances for the first time since the private beach in Provincetown.

Tom and Lucas hold their triplets.

Henry dances with Lawrence Grape

Tina and Edgar dance with their kids.

Peter, Paul and Marty are passionately kissing.

Gay Twitter Witches vogueing.

Writing Exercise: I encourage you to read the script, but short of that, if you’ve seen the movie, go through this scene-by-scene breakdown. What stands out to you about it from a structural standpoint?

If you’d like a PDF of the Belle scene-by-scene breakdown, go here.

Kudos to Lora Covrett for doing today’s breakdown.

To check out the Go Into The Story library of 100+ movie script scene-by-scene breakdowns, go here.