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The Broken Hearts Club

The Broken Hearts Club

List Price: $29.95
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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Broken Hearts for Every Light in Hollywood
Review: Greg Berlanti inspired to give us a film about the perils and traumas of modern gay romance, and he delivers that promise to us in the delightful and occasionally touching film "Broken Hearts Club".

Set in California, "Broken Hearts Club" spins the tales of a group of gay men who are comrades and cohorts in the daily drama of life. Managing to cover the spectrum of gay men, yet never pandering to the tiresome gay stereotypes that plague characters today, these groups of friends sincerely seem that, with all the emotionally tense undercurrents that come with such a group.

I truly enjoyed the film, and its many quiet moments of poignance, mostly centering around John Mahoney's character. He plays the emotional heart in the center of the film, a fountain of knowledge, a bastion of acceptance. When the characters drop their attitudes and talk from the heart, there is a honesty to this film not often found in the gay genre. I was particularly touched by one little speech where the character rambles on honestly about his feelings....

Sure, there is some usual stereotypical fodder: drug use, angery lesbians, clubbing, and a slight but fun nod at drag queens. What bothered me most is that it seems that most gay movies are either set in LA or NYC... which assumes that only gay life occurs there.

However, this film pleases, is cute, touching, with a dash of drama. Plus, with all the bonus stuff, it makes a good DVD.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Feel Good Gay Movie of the 2000's
Review: Ok, so this movie is light, fluffy and fun (with a few tears thrown in for measure), but, what the hey, who says that gay movies have to be depressing? Great acting, a good character driven script, and quite a few pretty boys make this worth buying! Ah, Andrew Keegan, my heart is all yours. (My boyfrield will kill me if he reads this). The director's commentry is interesting too (especially as he points out all of his family and friends that make up most of the extras).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I absolutely loved this movie. All of the characters were portrayed in a believable manner, and they all seemed to have depth to them-except for Cole (the actor) who was shallow. I love movies about groups of friends because they show how vital it is to have a support group around you, and that is what this movie is really all about--this group of gay friends who love and support each other. This movie was really funny at times, even though it had its sadder moments. I also really liked the character of Dennis, he was the nicest (and cutest) one out of the whole bunch. This really is an awesome movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Where is Andrew Keegan's screen test?
Review: I enjoyed Broken Hearts Club. In many ways, it's a fairly mainstream movie. It's not High Art, like Maurice or Death in Venice. On the other hand, it's not as shallow as Lie Down With Dogs, and certainly not as campy as Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss. The actors are believably gay, without being stereotypical, and the observations of the film ring true. Several times watching this movie, I was reminded of my friends, or even of myself.

One quibble, the DVD does NOT contain Andrew Keegan's screen test (nor is it listed on the cover).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A great movie to watch with friends
Review: I had mixed feelings about this movie. One on hand, it perpetuates many of the same old, tired stereotypes that gay filmmakers have been regurgitating back into gay cinema for years. On the other hand, stereotypes usually exist because the characteristics or traits they represent exist in large numbers out in the "real world."

That said, Broken Hearts Club is not a cinematic masterpiece, but it is a great movie to gather around and watch with your closest girlfriends. The plot is a bit predictable, but so are a lot of things about gay life. I think the people who found the most distaste for this movie are probably ones who related a bit too much with the characters.

It's no Steel Magnolias, but the characters are relatively true-to-life, and the issues and little mini-dramas they deal with are plausible enough. The best thing about the movie is that it perpetuates one undercelebrated fact - that in the gay world, one's friends can truly save lives, and for that part of the story, the movie is well worth the investment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally a gay film to genuinely love
Review: After seeing all sorts of movies from Priscilla to Crying Game, The Broken Hearts Club was by far my favorite flim with a gay theme. I was able to identify with every one of the characters and found myself wanting to see it again the second i left the movie theater. As soon as I saw it was available, I knew I had to have it for my collection so I could go back to it again and again.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A FEEL GOOD MOVIE
Review: Saw the movie and loved it, only a complete cynic wouldn't. Much more substantial than a movie of the week as some would have you believe. It's a romantic comedy and is as funny and moving as one would and should expect it to be. If you're tired of the heavy, depressing and gay themed movies - here's one that you will simply enjoy - a docudrama it doesn't pretend to be. The characters are all wonderful and at their present stage of life, their concerns, desires, hopes, fears etc. are true to who they are. In your lifetime you will have known atleast one if not all of these characters. For a comunity longing to see itself on the big screen, this may be a very small representation, but nonetheless a valid one. Does it provoke deep thoughts, well...no. Will you like it? Yes. If nothing else, by the end of the movie you'll be thinking as I did "thank God for my friends..." - it's message and true worth. Enjoy.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The equivalent of a television "movie of the week" --
Review: OK, so I haven't watched the DVD. However, I DID see the movie, and it was passable at best. These characters are superficial and half of the subplots could be scrubbed without dispensing of anything substantive. Other than that the characters are gay, there is no reason to watch this movie. Well, that's not ENTIRELY true -- there is Dean Cain, and he actually can act.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A cute, funny and charming comedy!!!
Review: The Broken Hearts Club can rightfully claim its place alongside classic comedies that nail the anxieties and triumphs of a generation, à la The Big Chill, Clueless or Reality Bites. But this film's closeknit group of friends just happens to live in West Hollywood and know a lot about gyms, clothes, and musicals. Think of it as, um, St. Homo's Fire, as mostly straight actors play single gays searching for the perfect man, job, party and life, while leaning on each other for emotional support. Frasier's John Mahoney shows his sensitive sage side as the patriarch who runs the guys' baseball team and the bar where the group works and hangs out.

Everyone has some sort of issue they are trying to come to terms with: Patrick (Ben Weber) is debating whether to donate sperm so his sister can have a baby with her lesbian lover. Cynical Dennis (Timothy Olyphant) is unable to admit that he is in love with Kevin (Andrew Keegan), a teen who has just come out of the closet. Player Cole (Dean Cain) now feels the pain of rejection when he is dumped by a famous actor, who is still in the closet.

This is a fun, smart, and sassy romantic comedy with plenty of bite and humourous situations. The cast is incredible and the characters are relatable. Writer-director Greg Berlanti focuses on universal feelings everyone can learn from, regardless of which team they're on. Recommended!!!!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Pleasant Diversion - Innocuous and Sometimes Amusing
Review: No doubt about it - "Broken Hearts Club" is a blood relative to "Steel Magnolias" complete with the wise Patriarch (Mahoney), the suffering pretty boy (Cain), the new kid in the neighborhood (Keegan), the bitchy crumudgeon (Porter), the punked druggie (Braff), and the one who brings them all together (Olyphant). In fact, the boys even compare themselves to the Steel Magnolias (and the Brat Pack from "St Elmo's Fire")a couple of times in the film. While most of the performances are forgettable (Porter and Braff do stand out) and the script falls into melodramatic stereotypes (the Druggie, the Player, the Star-Crossed Lovers), the overall result is amusing and sometimes hilarious. Watch for a cameo from Michael Bergin, the former boyfriend of Carolyn Bisette Kennedy who wrote a trashy book in 2004 detailing their sex life.


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