Ever since Brotherly Love first premiered in 2015, fans have flocked to the hard-hitting family drama. The film, which was written and directed by Jamal Hill, showcases the complexity of familial relationships, urban life and the relentless pursuit of the American dream. Starring Keke Palmer, Cory Hardrict, Romeo Miller, Quincy Brown, and comedian Faizon Love, Brotherly Love follows a West Philadelphia family struggling with loss, addiction, and poverty, as each of the children in the family attempts to navigate their way out of the hood.
Though the movie has developed a cult-like fan base, Brotherly Love failed to become a major cultural staple in cinema. Luckily, there are plenty of other films available to stream that showcase similar themes and environments. Here are 10 movies like Brotherly Love that you can watch today.
10. Streets (2011)
Like Brotherly Love, Streets was written and directed by Jamal Hill. The film carries with it similar themes and concepts to Hill’s 2015 feature, centering around a talented young woman with a bright and promising future, who gets dragged into the culture of the streets after falling in with the wrong crowd. Many films about the black experience in the United States offer a glimpse into the struggle to escape poverty and gang violence, but Streets has the unmistakable directing flair of Jamal Hill seen throughout sequences in Brotherly Love. The film stars Nafessa Williams, Marvin Warner, Chico Benymon, and Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill, and is a must watch for fans of Hill’s other directorial efforts.
9. The Hate U Give (2018)
The Hate U Give stars Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Anthony Mackie, Issa Rae, and Chicago rapper Common. The film follows Starr Carter, a young woman who must balance her life between two wildly different worlds. Carter splits her time between her impoverished black neighborhood and the wealthy prep school where she attempts to use higher education as a means to escape from the hood. Like star basketball player Sergio from Brotherly Love, Carter’s attempts at securing a positive future for herself are threatened when violence impacts her loved ones. The Hate U Give offers a window into the all-too-common violence members of the black community face at the hands of the police, while highlighting generational struggles within black families.
8. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If Beale Street Could Talk is a romantic drama written and directed by Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins, based on a novel of the same name by American author and civil rights leader James Baldwin. The film, which takes place in Harlem in the 1970s, centers on a black artist who is arrested and persecuted for a crime he did not commit. While films such as Brotherly Love and The Hate U Give focus on the impact that street life has on the black community, If Beale Street Could Talk highlights the plight which black Americans face within a police state, even when they are fully innocent. The film, and the novel upon which the film is based, serves as a stark reminder that racism within the United states is a pervasive beast.
7. Fences (2016)
Denzel Washington directed and starred in Fences, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name written by August Wilson. The film follows a hard-working blue collar black man in 1950s Pittsburgh, whose dreams of becoming a professional baseball player never came to fruition. Due to a number of personal and environmental factors, the man, Troy Maxson, creates great tension within his family, including financial strain and marital infidelity. Fences examines generational trauma and the ripple effect that familial bitterness and financial stress can have on a family, while highlighting the strength of black women in the household.
6. Precious (2009)
Precious likely needs no introduction, as the massive film rapidly became a smash-hit upon release back in 2009. The film, which currently touts a 92 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, follows a young woman who struggles with multiple forms of horrific abuse in her home. When an opportunity to leave her life behind and follow a higher education arises, Claireece “Precious” Jones fears that she cannot rise to the occasion. Unlike the characters in Brotherly Love, Precious can’t even rely on her own family, as they are the source of her most horrific problems. Luckily, a stern teacher takes a special interest in the struggling teen, placing her on the right path.
5. Won’t Back Down (2012)
Won’t Back Down highlights the economic struggles which plague families from all backgrounds, by showcasing two women, played by Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who attempt against the odds to reform their community’s failing school system. Like Brotherly Love, the film highlights the importance of a proper education as a keystone in escaping poverty, as well as the external factors which prevent marginalized communities from getting ahead.
4. Moonlight (2016)
Like many films on this list, Moonlight is a film which focuses on the hardship of the black community, including poverty, gang activity, the prison-industrial complex, and complacent school systems. Unlike films such as Brotherly Love or Precious however, Moonlight highlights the additional struggle of homosexuality within the black community, as well as toxic masculinity. The film won Best Picture at the 89th Academy Awards, despite a now-famous mix-up which saw the wrong movie announced first. In the near-decade since Moonlight was released, the film has become a certified classic for fans of African American films and LGBTQ+ representation alike.
3. Above The Rim (1994)
Starring the iconic rapper Tupac Shakur, Above The Rim follows a similar narrative to Brotherly Love, as the film centers on a rising high school basketball star who becomes unwillingly drawn into the life of gang violence due to his family ties. The film was written and directed by The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air writer Jeff Pollack, and also stars Duane Martin, Marlon Wayans, and the late comedian Bernie Mac. If you’re a younger fan of Brotherly Love, you would be well advised to give Above The Rim a shot, as the film is largely considered a classic with similar themes to the 2015 outing.
2. Boyz N The Hood (1991)
Another classic installment, 1991’s Boyz n The Hood carries similar themes and concepts to Brotherly Love and Above The Rim. The film centers on Tre, an at-risk youth growing up in a broken home in South Central Los Angeles. Tre’s hard-nosed father instills proper values within him, and encourages Tre to earn a college scholarship for his skills on the football field in order to escape from poverty. Unfortunately, the tendrils of life on the streets are pervasive, and criminal activity mires Tre’s friend group. The film features landmark performances from Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, and legendary West coast rapper Ice Cube.
1. Creed (2015)
When searching for films similar to Brotherly Love, 2015’s Creed may just be the best possible answer. The now-iconic boxing film continues the Rocky franchise originally led by Sylvester Stallone throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Michael B. Jordan stars in the film as the son of famed boxer Apollo Creed, who wishes to utilize his skills in the ring to follow in his fathers’ footsteps. Many critics have actually criticized Brotherly Love for holding similarities to Creed, which is widely considered to be the superior of the two films, though they both premiered in the same year. The original 2015 film relaunched the long-running franchise, which is still spawning sequels today. The film combines elements of sports, family, and the black experience, for a near-perfect outing with a 95 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
