The Broken Hearts Club
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Movie Reviews of The Broken Hearts Club
Movie Review: Enjoyable and well made
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed the film and felt the story was well told. The acting was good.Buy it and enjoy the film. It's not too heavy and it leaves you feeling good.Movie Review: 10 STARS!!! A GREAT MOVIE
Summary: 5 Stars
Finally a "gay" movie that isn't 100% Stereotypical! A great film about friendship and love.Movie Review: One in a million
Summary: 5 Stars
I truly loved the story in this movie. It had its up and downs but I would list this as a must have.Movie Review: The Broken Hearts Club
Summary: 5 Stars
this movie is a touching one funny and then sad... a great movie...Movie Review: Doesn't whitewash over the emotions of its characters.
Summary: 4 Stars
"It's like one big gay soap opera!" screams Patrick to his hairdresser in "The Broken Hearts Club," one of the freshest, funniest, and uplifting romantic comedies to come along in years. Not only is there a story that doesn't always take the usual, clichéd twists and turns, but there are characters who we come to care about, combined with some effectively touching moments and ongoing humor. Perhaps it all works better because the filmmakers have shaped these traits into such a well-crafted film. Perhaps it's because its cast shows great talent in dealing with the subject matter. Or maybe it's just because all of its characters (including most of the females) are gay. Yep, you heard me right. For its 95-minute duration, the only thing straight about these California lovelies is their hair.
The first kudos the film earns is its introduction to the characters. At first, we meet them and associate them by name and face: there's Cole (Dean Cain), blessed with good looks and a new boy each week; Benji (Zach Braff), a "gym bunny" with a thing for chiseled physiques; Howie (Matt McGrath), a relationship psychologist whose own dwindling relationship never seems to have ended; Taylor (Billy Porter), who begins his sentences with "As a person in a long-term relationship"; Patrick (Ben Weber), whose average looks cause him self-pity; Jack (John Mahoney), owner of the local gay dive; and Dennis (Timothy Olyphant), who wonders if there's more to life than just being gay.
From its opening moments, one might get the impression that they're in the midst of another run-of-the-mill, gay-themed movie, but it does evolve into more than simple discussions of one-nighters and drama queen displays. It calls many of the characters' lives into question, leaving Howie and Taylor without a boyfriend, throwing Cole's self-assurance into the wind, and offering Dennis a chance at what he thinks is the answer to his problems in Kevin (Andrew Keegan), whose naivety concerning matters of homosexuality makes him appealing to Dennis, who wants more in a relationship.
These characters studies are brought out under some well-defined performances from actors who show no fear in playing gay roles. Olyphant lends a gentle voice and charisma to Dennis, whose narration guides the film, while newcomers Braff (the "gym bunny"), Weber ("Average Joe"), and Porter (drama queen) each leave a lasting impression. It may even surprise some to see faces like Cain and Mahoney, and Andrew Keegan, who shows terrific range in playing the inexperienced "newbie."
Accompanying the cast are some of the funniest moments I've seen in ages. Some may quibble about the various standard gay jokes, but they work extremely well within the material. I laughed 'til I cried at Porter's constant displays of dramatic excess, and Olyphant's subtle way with words is humorous in a very big way. And I defy anyone not to laugh at the scene in which the Broken Hearts play baseball against a team of fire-fighters, during which they attempt to guess the orientation of opposing players.
The good thing about a movie like "The Broken Hearts Club" is that it doesn't whitewash over the emotions of its characters, but allows them to grow through their experiences. In Dennis, as well as many of the characters, we see a change of heart, some more well-defined than others, some left completely to the audience's own thought. In the end, we're left with the satisfaction of knowing the people we've met, coming to like them, laugh with them, and enjoy their company, which is more than most movies can achieve.