The Broken Hearts Club

The Broken Hearts Club

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The Broken Hearts Club

Andrew Keegan, Ben Weber, Chris Weitz, Dean Cain, Jennifer Coolidge

After viewing the gay ensemble film The Broken Hearts Club--the subtitle of which helpfully points out that it's "a romantic comedy"--you might feel as if you've been offered a discussion conundrum no...( read more  read more... )t unlike the kind that Mike Myers's Linda "Coffee Talk" Richman would put forward: "The Broken Hearts Club is neither romantic nor comedic. Discuss." What it is, rather, is a gay male version of Steel Magnolias, right down to the funeral scene and hospital visit. While decidedly less melodramatic than that Southern chick flick, it still aspires to a kind of big-group love-in feeling that's only vaguely comic. And romance? Well, there's some somewhere, when the characters aren't carping about how the only thing they're good at is being gay. They all wrestle with their Big Issues--should Patrick (Ben Weber) donate sperm so his sister can have a baby with her lesbian lover? Will cynical Dennis (Timothy Olyphant) finally admit he loves just-out-of-the-closet Kevin (Andrew Keegan)? How will love-'em-and-leave-'em Cole (Dean Cain) feel when he's rejected by the closeted movie star?--but to little effect, despite some snappy one-liners and occasional keen observances of gay culture. Writer-director Greg Berlanti's screenplay still feels about two or three drafts away from completion, and when faced with stalling action, he opts for a montage set to one of many Carpenters' songs (covers, not the actual hits themselves). Kudos go to the acidic Weber for infusing what could have been a whiny character with a dry, intelligent wit, and the surprisingly charming Cain, who makes Cole someone you can't really hate too much despite all his faults--it would be like hating a puppy. If only all the characters were half as appealing. --Mark Englehart

Id: 10898744

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Recent Reviews


  • December 14, 2009
    A very interesting cast for a mostly average film.
    Nothing ground breaking here, but it was an enjoyable little journey.
    Seemed to enforce stereotypes (there is always at least a little truth in them) while giving a fairly realistic look at some of the (internal) issues that th...( read more)e gay community has to deal with.
    A bit like a gay version of one of those "Lifetime" movies.
  • August 24, 2007
    A very interesting film. Most definitely not the best gay film out there but it is worth the watch.

    Love and friendship within a gay community.
  • April 12, 2007
    Love this movie. A great movie!
  • December 1, 2009
    This film is great, if only for the crazy amount of TV boys in it - and Dean Cain! :D
  • November 3, 2009
    I love this movie. Very sweet.
  • October 5, 2009
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  • September 13, 2009
    excellent movie, dean cain played a great part in this movie
  • August 29, 2009
    Endearing comedy about a group of gay friends. Sort of stereotypical I nice movie with a good cast.
  • August 20, 2009
    I liked this. I liked Andrew Keegan, Timothy, John Mahoney, and Justin Theroux the best. I enjoyed that the story had a range of characters. It was realistic in that sence. Including many differnent senerios and in the end concluded, in a realistic way. Not everyone got the "perf...( read more)ect" ending. But that wasnt a bad thing. For me the ending in a movie is everything, and this one was good. Nice film. I was also very pleased that such a good group of actors would do a film like this without worrying about the obvious rumors it would foolishly cause to arise. Good for them.
  • July 27, 2009
    This is a heart-warming gay movie. It's got an interesting cast! Zach Braff blonde & gay I took a bit of a shine to. It's just good fun with highs & lows, and a pretty good representation compared to some movies! Very enjoyable fair that you can sit & watch with a cup of cocoa!

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