Rating: 
Summary: A league of their own
Review: Even if you've resolved not to see another romantic comedy about the vipers' nest that is the gay singles scene, make an exception. Writer-director Greg Berlanti's debut feature is bright, breezy and full of deliciously quotable dialogue. The characters may still be stereotypes, but they're well-written stereotypes. The action centers around a West Hollywood eatery owned and operated by Jack (John Mahoney), who each year convinces photographer Dennis (Timothy Olyphant) and his tight-knit group of friends to sign up for his softball team, the Broken Hearts League. Dennis is turning 28 and has begun to suspect that empty conversation and emptier sex aren't really what he wants out of life, and his friends are in worse shape. Handsome aspiring actor Cole (Super Hottie Dean Cain) has a picture-perfect face and no qualms about dumping his current flame the minute something better comes along; therapist-in-training Howie (Matt McGrath) can't let go of his ex (Justin Theroux); Benji (Zach Braff) gets mixed up with a "gym bunny" and serious drugs; Taylor (Billy Porter) has just been dumped by his long-time boyfriend via long-distance phone call; and Patrick's (Ben Weber) average looks make him feel like Quasimodo in a city of Adonises. The very talented Olyphant (GO) is ostensibly the film's star, but it's truly an ensemble piece with its share of ensemble-piece problems. Each character has his own story line - Dennis falls out with Cole over his treatment of a barely out "newbie" (Andrew Keegan); Patrick is pressured by his sister (Mary McCormack) and her girlfriend (Nia Long) to be a sperm donor - but it's difficult to bring the characters together in any way that doesn't feel contrived. No matter: The film is full of solid comic performances and a surprising measure of wisdom, making this a highly entertaining - and highly relevant - guide to contemporary dating, gay or straight.
Rating: 
Summary: Good flick all around . . .
Review: The Broken Hearts Club is definitely a good flick. I watched the movie with great trepidation at first - it's name brought too many images of romance, sappiness, and tears to my mind. But I was very pleasantly suprised with its well-rounded blend of seriousness and humor as well. Probably the best aspect of the movie is that the dynamics of this group of young gay men is applicable to any and every group out there - guys, gals, gay, or straight. We all probably have a friend like "Princess Taylor" (Billy Porter) who is a drama queen or Patrick (Ben Weber) who likes to give us advice on our sorry love lives, whether we want it or not. Cole (Dean Cain) - the beautiful, dumb one of the group who everyone secretly envies. Howie (Matt McGrath) - the smart, intellectual person whose dry sarcastic humor is always well timed. And just like happens to these guys, those differences may on occasion give rise to yelling matches and fights, but in the end you make up because that's what friends are for. I highly recommend the movie to anyone. Oh, except a small warning for those sports fanatics out there . . . Don't blow a gasket when you see two guys sitting in the outfield making a chain out of dandelions during a softball game. Just grin and think - if you ever have to play against these guys, it'll be the easiest win you'll ever have!!
Rating: 
Summary: Should not bill itself as a romantic comedy.
Review: Realistic or not I found this film extremely unentertaining. A romantic comedy that's as romantic as Hitler and as funny as herpes. A mate loaned me this and I was expecting a nice piece of fluffy entertainment that'd pass a couple of hours one evening, but what I got was a depressing and very bitter movie that left me feeling like crap. I thank god that its not realistic or I would happily jump back into the closet.
A group of friends looking for love and I hope for the sake of others that they never find it. The blurb states they have little in common for the fact they play on the same team, on the contrary they are all egotistical, shallow, emotionless young men. I felt very little empathy to any of the characters with the exception of maybe Kevin and Benji, who both had slightly interesting traits. The obligatory death is filmed in such a way I felt complete indifference to it, something I felt throughout the film. A good cast that is completely wasted, I feel embarrassed for them.
If you are a sadist who likes a film where you can despise the central characters and that at times induces anger I would recommend this film. If you actually want some entertainment, stay clear. Maybe this seems a little harsh, but I just can't believe it bills itself as a romantic comedy.
Rating:
Summary: Not as good as Trick, but entertaining nonetheless
Review: Broken Hearts Club is certainly one of the better gay themed movies available. For one it's well acted, with people you'll recognise. It's also inheritantly uncontroversial - letting the ensemble cast tell their story. But, dare I say it, B.H.C is the sort of gay movie your mother would appreciate. The concept is very much gay "Friends". Comedy which doesn't bite and sex which is left implicit. The film suffers from the fact that there's very little arc to the characters. They really don't develop and end the film largely as they started (excepting Kevin the Newbie). That said, it's a perfectly enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half and worthy of repeat viewings. The director's commentary between producer and director is a lesson how not to do it, spending as they do too much time talking around their subject. I compared this movie with 'Trick' in the review title. Double the cast headcount of Trick and subtract most of the sexual tension and you get to Broken Hearts Club. Enjoy...
Rating:
Summary: A favorite of mine
Review: The Broken Hearts Club is one of my favorite movies of all time... it's got comedy, romance, drama... everything you need in a movie. The acting is wonderful all around, which surprised me. Timothy Olyphant is absolutely great as Dennis, and I was glad to see him in a role that isn't a villain (Scream 2, El Diablo). I'm looking forward to seeing him more. Dean Cain proved that not only does he have the good looks, but he has the talent to back it up. In fact, the best scene in the entire film takes place between Cain and Kerr Smith. Matt McGrath and Zach Braff both have decent roles, and they play them well. But the real show-stealer here is Billy Porter as Taylor, the drama queen. He provides a lot of the comic relief, and has some of the funniest lines in the movie ("I don't see why they don't just let me hit off the tee... shut up bit**es!"... among many others). The Broken Hearts Club has everything I like in a movie: comedy, great-acting, believable dialogue. Whether you're straight or gay, The Broken Hearts Club is one you'll enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Great One-Liners, Weak Plot
Review: The Broken Hearts Club is a gay softball team, made up of a group of close-knit friends. The movie follows this group as they try to find themselves...and hopefully discover happiness in the process. There's Dennis, a photographer longing for a life-companion; Kevin, newly out and still struggling to discover who he is; Cole, a egotistical actor who goes through men like Kleenex; Taylor, who is dumped by his long-time partner; Patrick, who feels he is unattractive to other men; and Benji, a club kid mixing with the wrong crowd. Watching over the group is their father-figure and coach, Jack. The movie is an ensemble piece, and the all-star cast works well together. The pretty much all-straight group of guys even manage to convincingly play gay, although would it have killed them to cast a few honest-to-goodness gay men? The real star of the movie is the one-liners, however. The script is full of stingingly witty dialogue. You should watch this movie for that, if nothing else. Now, if only they could have come up with a plotline as good as the quips. The story comes across as a little soap-opera like for my taste, and everyone just seems to bitch and complain their way through the whole hour and a half. And for a movie that actually has a line about how gay movies only portray stereotypes, every gay stereotype is presented. The subtitle claims that it is "A Romantic Comedy", but this is perhaps one of the most unromantic movies I have ever seen, and while it has some hilarious one-liners, it really isn't a comedy either. It's too depressing to be a comedy. What it really is, but won't admit, is a gay Steel Magnolias--which isn't necessarily a bad thing. They just couldn't pull it off as well. The ending left me with a slightly unsettled feeling, but overall, I did enjoy it. Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing yet contrived
Review: 'The Broken Hearts Club' is at once engaging, but you'll still find yourself saying 'Oh Brother!' at some of the goings on in this film. Sadly, not many gay movies these days are free of the usual cliches, but this work in particular deserves some sort of award for the number of times it relies on other gay work to stand on its' own. Thats not to say that this is a bad movie. On the contrary. This is a very good film, with very interesting performances, especially from Dean Cain, who manages to get you to hate him more than a bit. It also features everybody's favorite body Michael Bergin in a small part, but thats not really the good thing about the film. The story follows a group of friends in their quest and understanding of their lives and loves. The dialogue isn't as campy or bitchy as one might imagine, but the characters are so hollow that giving them good dialogue wouldn't really help. In the end, its the performances of the leads that saves the movie, and even endears it to you. By the end of the movie, lovers have broken up and patched up, some lovers have packed up and moved to England, some are still accepting their sexuality, and some others don't care about the ones that have left, and in typical fashion go out to find a new boy to bed. How enthralling. All this is hilarious on paper, but comes together fairly decently on film. Every once in a while, you have a film like this - a 'feel good gay movie' - that comes along and offers itself to the gay community. 'The Birdcage' was one of those rare gems that actually managed to win us over through comedy, and this movie strives to do that through sentimentality. It doesn't altogether succeed, but for the most part, 'The Broken Hearts' Club' is a thoroughly enjoyable gay movie, and one that I would recommend to all audiences. Let your kids see it.
Rating:
Summary: HILARIOUS AND CLEVER
Review: Could any movie possibly address the issue of relationships (or lack there of) in the homosexual culture and better? NO! The Broken Hearts Club is hysterical and very cleverly written. It uses gay slang...showing definitions between scene changes. I just thought it was amazing! It's a must see. Prepare to laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasant movie
Review: I thought this movie was fun and cute. It's about a group of gay men, who experience different things, some that test their friendships, others that strengthen them. I'm at a loss for characters names but one character has commitment issues, another is dumped by a long time beau who cheated on him, one falls in love and falls into drugs, one is struggling with his sexuality and does eventually come out and is involved with two characters. Another character likes to sleep around and throw them away and gets a taste of his own medicine. One character's sister wants him to donate sperm to help create a child for her partner and herself. The men all play badly on a softball team. It's a cute movie with lots of laughs. My only complaint is, there was so much story tell but so little time, so as a result it seemed rushed in many areas. However it was a nice story about friendship and definately lots of laughs along the way.
Rating:
Summary: The one we've been waiting for
Review: Obviously this movie does not depict the experience of every gay man in America, no movie ever has or could do that. This movie does show a group of friends in LA dealing with life, love, and all the other stuff and having a fairly good time of it. It shows how life can be hard and lonely and confusing but as a people we tend to be able to pull together to see it through. The Carpenters "tragic happy song" analogy in the film is a good one. I think that people who find the film demeaning aren't paying careful attention. While the movie does show men sleeping around, being shallow, and having issues it does not glorify these pastimes. As a matter of fact it shows some of the troubles we encounte if we become too self obsessed or devisive or don't care who we hurt. The film doesn't pander to stereotypes it builds genuine characters. To call Taylor just a "loud bitchy black queen" as one poster did is to completely ignore about half of what the character goes through in the movie. This is the gay buddy comedy we've been waiting for. It isn't just about some kid coming out or a quirky relationship or someone dying like we've had before but a nice blend of stories about a group of friends that a lot of us can relate to. I just want to know how with all of the gay actors in Hollywood most of the guys in the film are staright, what is up with that?
| 
