Le club des coeurs brisés

The day I was finally able to admit to myself that I was a gay man I rented this movie. That first viewing changed my life. It helped me envision a life a hoped was ahead of me. During my first year of being out I watched this movie so many times and still watch it about once a year.

The first time I saw it I thought it was one of the best movies I had ever seen. Time has dimmed my view of it but it still a must see for any newly out (newbie) gay man.

The script is well written. Some of the direction is a little off but it was a low budget film. It is also fun to see all these mainstream actors like Dean Cain, Timothy Olymphant and Andrew Keegan playing gay.

How un-promising does a gay male Sex In The City sound? This one took me quite by surprise. It's a frequently very funny romantic comedy, that only occasionally dips into cliche. Why America remade Queer As Folk when they already had this is beyond me. Is "Queer as folk" ever an expression over there? Anyway, this includes Frasier's Dad and Superman amongst its gay baseball team, so it's good in my book.

We watched this film when it first was released. On second viewing, thanks to the IFC channel, "The Broken Hearts Club" looks a bit dated since more daring films and television series have come out of the closet recently. It must have been a courageous undertaking by its director, Greg Berlanti, in 2000, at a time that gays were not as prominent as now. The director shows a positive side of the gay life that is not seen often, in that all the characters have values and integrity, something not often seen in mainstream films.

The film is an excuse to bring together a group of young men trying to cope with their lives in that environment. There are different stories that mesh well together. At the center of it all is Dennis, a photographer that seems to have his feet well planted on the ground and knows what he wants. The friends are united by Jack, the restaurant owner, who has taken most of the guys under his wing, at his bistro and as a coach them in the softball team.

We watch the different situations and how the guys react to whatever comes their way. The acting is good, in general. Timothy Olyphant makes an impression as the serious Dennis. Zach Braff, a film director, himself is good as Benji. Dean Cain is the fickle Cole, who loves a variety of lovers, rather than quality mates. John Mahoney appears as Jack, the older influence on the group in an impressive performance.

What director Greg Berlanti succeeded was in presenting young men that appear not to be clichés as in other films of this type. The film is pleasant without breaking new ground.

That statement is part of what makes this is a terrific film about love, friendship and betrayal -- betrayal of friends, the people you are supposed to care most about and ultimately yourself. This is also a film about facades, lying and truth telling.

From the opening montage of `Gay or Not Gay' in a supermarket this is a film with many laughs and people that you want to care about.

A true ensemble cast, ostensibly headed by Timothy Olyphant as Dennis, is only part of what makes this a fine piece of cinematic work.

Dean Cain (Cole) as the pretty-boy actor at one point says about his obvious good looks: ‘It's my way in ... and then I have to prove if I have the #@%* to back it up.' Mr. Cain proves that he does have the ability to back it up.

Matt McGrath (Howie) as a man searching for love and doesn't realize he has it within his grasp, has a Mathew Broderick look that is very engaging.

The always-interesting John Mahoney is outstanding as the coach of the `Broken Hearts Club' baseball team that wears the uniform of his restaurant and bar where the perennially losing team goes after their pathetic attempts at playing baseball.

Colour becomes a character as embodied by Robert Arce as `Purple Guy.' He speaks only once in the film -- but it is worth listening to.

There are many outstanding actors -- many currently in television series -- John Mahoney (Fraser), Zach Braff (Scrubs), Chris Payne and Ben Weber who have both done time on `Sex in the City.' But it was particularly nice to see Jennifer Coolidge who will always be Stiffler's Mom in the `American Pie' films. Andrew Keegan as Kevin the `newbie' is exceptional -- learning about himself and life in West Hollywood whether he wants to or not.

This is very much writer/director Greg Berlanti's film -- these must be people he knows and so writes about. At one point one of the characters says 'they should make a movie about us.' Well, Mr. Berlanti did and it is quite an accomplishment because even though the characters are gay the lives they lead, the questions they ask, the problems they face and the joys they experience are universal.

Greg Berlanti's film is worthy of a lot of praise in a society where gay men tend to only fulfill certain stereotypes. A character, Howie mentions how he would like to see gay men being represented as something other than the woman's best friend, the hustler, the aids victim or the sex addict and this film does tend to try hard to avoid these stereotypes. The script is brilliantly written and sparkles when it is at its peak. At its worst, it may be a little bit cliche ridden but hey..it also has originality ( I have taken "Meanwhile" and now its commonplace down ere!) and is not afraid to portray gay men as just a group of lads who are falling in and out of relationships, liek any other group of young men. However certain characters do tend to bring the pace down a little and it does sometimes seem to have the sentiment that gay men have got it so bad compared to everyone else in the world. Timothy Olyphant stands out here in an able cast, made up primarily of TV actors. My only grumble was the inclusion of the lesbian couple who seemed to only be there to represent the ladies and also to give Howie a meatier role. 4/5