The Broken Hearts Club
*L* Okay…this review is going to be shorter than most of mine, primarily because I’ve got so many to do right now, but I my housemates rented this movie last weekend when elizabuffy was visiting…and it was fabulous!
The Broken Hearts Club (hyperlinked) is one of those movies that is just plain great.
The movie is, for those like myself that had never heard of it, is (as stolen from the website) a fresh, funny, real story about a group of gay men in Hollywood, their lovers and friends, and the often hilarious, occasionally poignant space in between-that is if they can get any space at all. According to writer/director Greg Berlanti, it's also about something everyone can relate to: "how screwy and dysfunctional friends can be, but also how wonderful."
And that IS exactly what it is…it’s a movie about love and friendship above all else, cute and often downright hilarious. Regardless of whether or not you like or know gay men, chances are this movie has things in it that you will laugh at, and also things that you can relate to yourself.
In some respects, it is oddly reminiscent of an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy…minus the straight guy!
Admittedly, the characters featured are often stereotypes… but, well, stereotypes exist for a reason, after all, and you can’t help but seeing a ring of truth in some of them. It also points out something else, in that such clichés are often self-perpetuating. The main character, Dennis, admits that before he came out, he had an identity that was completely separate from his orientation, but that when he DID announce himself he spent so much time trying to be gay that suddenly that’s ALL he is…and yet, that’s not true either. He’s kind, intelligent, and a great photographer w/a real eye for humanity.
Then there is
Benji: blond, fashionable, and chasing guys at the gym.
Taylor: the effeminate black guy who just broke up w/his boyfriend and is blubbering through life
Patrick: the not as attractive, but intuitive one who sees what no one else does (the ‘Zeppo’), who would just like to find love…while trying to decide to whether or not to donate his sperm to help his sister and her partner have a child.
Cole: The Player…who is always on the prowl and ready to break the hearts of fresh ‘newbies,’ known for his exceptional good looks. (You might recognize him actually…yep, he’s that guy who plays Superman on tv)
Howie: the guy who just CAN’T get over his ex and will win him back…no matter what
Together they form the perfect group of friends, and work at the restaurant owned by Jack, the elder mentor of the group, who dresses in drag for the customers every Saturday (?), and is long-term partners w/the enigmatic ‘Purple Guy’. The others play on the softball team Jack coaches-“The Broken Hearts Club”-which looses all of its games…even when playing against crippled veterans and eight year olds.
But the thing is…they aren’t JUST stereotypes…there is a lot of humanity in each of them. (Well…except maybe Cole *L*) You, the viewer, get to come along with them through their trials and tribulations, and you start to realize that although they fit the typical idea of what a gay man should be…their sexual orientation is not all of who they are. (to return to Dennis’ self reflection.)
One of my favorite plotlines involves Kevin the young ‘newbie’ who, at the start of the movie is not yet out of the closet. He is introduced in a great scene with Dennis. At that point, Dennis’ life is pretty empty. He’s just thrown a birthday party for himself and had it interrupted by Troy’s little drama w/his ex who’s cheating on him on Hawaii. Then he finds himself in his bedroom about to get lucky w/‘Jay Crew Guy’ (whose real name he doesn’t know)…and realizes that the last thing he needs is yet another one-night stand. So he goes into the kitchen to find the remains of the party and this young guy whose sitting there. “The icing looks terrible, but it’s really pretty good,” he says. Dennis comments on how it was his birthday cake that he had to bake and decorate for himself…and he didn’t even have a chance to blow out the candles. Now that it’s after midnight, he won’t get the chance.
Then Kevin does perhaps the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. He turns back the hands on the clock and lights the candles on the cake. “You’re just in time.”
Of course Kevin is in the closet at this time, and, although Dennis tries to get him to admit it, he won’t. But then the next day he’s with Cole…so. Of course he gets dumped and then there’s the entire Dennis/Kevin plotline…all very sweet, but far too talk about here! Watch the movie *grin*
Another great plotline is with Jack (who you might recognize as Marty Crane from Fraiser)…
SPOILER
WARNING!!!
He dies…and they all have to deal with their grief. It reveals a lot. It also introduces ‘Purple Guy’ as a real person, which is interesting since prior to that he was simply…well, Purple Guy.
END SPOILER WARNING
Again, this is a movie about seeing through the outer appearances and categories people build up. In the end…these are just people.
So end verdict…it’s a great movie and you should give it a watch if you’re in the mood for some decent entertainment.
Oh yeah…and then there’s the lingo. The movie is periodically cut w/definitions such as:
Newbie - A recently "out" gay person; especially any sweet, inexperienced, young gay man destined for heartbreak.
O.G.T. - Acronym for Obviously Gay Trait. These traits vary, but can include such things as having culinary interests or fear of blood sports.
and of course…in the spirit of the movie
Five Months Later - A phrase used by both gays and straights to denote the passage of five months.
Come on! Who wouldn’t want to see the movie just for that! ;^) But seriously…very funny, very sweet…and very human as well.
The Broken Hearts Club (hyperlinked) is one of those movies that is just plain great.
The movie is, for those like myself that had never heard of it, is (as stolen from the website) a fresh, funny, real story about a group of gay men in Hollywood, their lovers and friends, and the often hilarious, occasionally poignant space in between-that is if they can get any space at all. According to writer/director Greg Berlanti, it's also about something everyone can relate to: "how screwy and dysfunctional friends can be, but also how wonderful."
And that IS exactly what it is…it’s a movie about love and friendship above all else, cute and often downright hilarious. Regardless of whether or not you like or know gay men, chances are this movie has things in it that you will laugh at, and also things that you can relate to yourself.
In some respects, it is oddly reminiscent of an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy…minus the straight guy!
Admittedly, the characters featured are often stereotypes… but, well, stereotypes exist for a reason, after all, and you can’t help but seeing a ring of truth in some of them. It also points out something else, in that such clichés are often self-perpetuating. The main character, Dennis, admits that before he came out, he had an identity that was completely separate from his orientation, but that when he DID announce himself he spent so much time trying to be gay that suddenly that’s ALL he is…and yet, that’s not true either. He’s kind, intelligent, and a great photographer w/a real eye for humanity.
Then there is
Benji: blond, fashionable, and chasing guys at the gym.
Taylor: the effeminate black guy who just broke up w/his boyfriend and is blubbering through life
Patrick: the not as attractive, but intuitive one who sees what no one else does (the ‘Zeppo’), who would just like to find love…while trying to decide to whether or not to donate his sperm to help his sister and her partner have a child.
Cole: The Player…who is always on the prowl and ready to break the hearts of fresh ‘newbies,’ known for his exceptional good looks. (You might recognize him actually…yep, he’s that guy who plays Superman on tv)
Howie: the guy who just CAN’T get over his ex and will win him back…no matter what
Together they form the perfect group of friends, and work at the restaurant owned by Jack, the elder mentor of the group, who dresses in drag for the customers every Saturday (?), and is long-term partners w/the enigmatic ‘Purple Guy’. The others play on the softball team Jack coaches-“The Broken Hearts Club”-which looses all of its games…even when playing against crippled veterans and eight year olds.
But the thing is…they aren’t JUST stereotypes…there is a lot of humanity in each of them. (Well…except maybe Cole *L*) You, the viewer, get to come along with them through their trials and tribulations, and you start to realize that although they fit the typical idea of what a gay man should be…their sexual orientation is not all of who they are. (to return to Dennis’ self reflection.)
One of my favorite plotlines involves Kevin the young ‘newbie’ who, at the start of the movie is not yet out of the closet. He is introduced in a great scene with Dennis. At that point, Dennis’ life is pretty empty. He’s just thrown a birthday party for himself and had it interrupted by Troy’s little drama w/his ex who’s cheating on him on Hawaii. Then he finds himself in his bedroom about to get lucky w/‘Jay Crew Guy’ (whose real name he doesn’t know)…and realizes that the last thing he needs is yet another one-night stand. So he goes into the kitchen to find the remains of the party and this young guy whose sitting there. “The icing looks terrible, but it’s really pretty good,” he says. Dennis comments on how it was his birthday cake that he had to bake and decorate for himself…and he didn’t even have a chance to blow out the candles. Now that it’s after midnight, he won’t get the chance.
Then Kevin does perhaps the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. He turns back the hands on the clock and lights the candles on the cake. “You’re just in time.”
Of course Kevin is in the closet at this time, and, although Dennis tries to get him to admit it, he won’t. But then the next day he’s with Cole…so. Of course he gets dumped and then there’s the entire Dennis/Kevin plotline…all very sweet, but far too talk about here! Watch the movie *grin*
Another great plotline is with Jack (who you might recognize as Marty Crane from Fraiser)…
SPOILER
WARNING!!!
He dies…and they all have to deal with their grief. It reveals a lot. It also introduces ‘Purple Guy’ as a real person, which is interesting since prior to that he was simply…well, Purple Guy.
END SPOILER WARNING
Again, this is a movie about seeing through the outer appearances and categories people build up. In the end…these are just people.
So end verdict…it’s a great movie and you should give it a watch if you’re in the mood for some decent entertainment.
Oh yeah…and then there’s the lingo. The movie is periodically cut w/definitions such as:
Newbie - A recently "out" gay person; especially any sweet, inexperienced, young gay man destined for heartbreak.
O.G.T. - Acronym for Obviously Gay Trait. These traits vary, but can include such things as having culinary interests or fear of blood sports.
and of course…in the spirit of the movie
Five Months Later - A phrase used by both gays and straights to denote the passage of five months.
Come on! Who wouldn’t want to see the movie just for that! ;^) But seriously…very funny, very sweet…and very human as well.