THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB ----------------------
LAURA:
Writer/director Greg Berlanti brings his experience as a gay man living in West Hollywood to the screen in "The Broken Hearts Club." That club is where the ensemble cast gather to discuss their love lives or work as waiters for the owner, mother hen Jack (John Mahoney, TV's "Frasier").
The film begins with the 28th birthday party of Dennis (Timothy Olyphant, "Go"), a photographer who's trying to swear off casual sex and find a meaningful relationship. His roommate Cole (Dean Cain, TV's "Superman") is Dennis' opposite, a shallow pretty boy aspiring actor who flits from one man to the next carelessly breaking hearts. He swoops in on Kevin (Andrew Keegan, "10 Things I Hate About You"), a 'newbie' who's not yet out of the closet. This upsets Benji (Zach Braff, "Getting To Know You"), a spiky haired blond who works with Kevin and had had his eye on him.
Marshall (Justin Theroux) is getting tired of being taken for granted by Howie (Matt McGrath, "Boys Don't Cry"), who's too impressed with outward beauty ('I want to be Cole!' he proclaims). Taylor (Billy Porter), always bragging about his long term relationship, is quickly upended when he gets dumped long distance from Hawaii. Patrick (Ben Weber, resembling Tom Hanks) believes no one wants him because he's too ugly. He's also got a sister (Mary McCormack, "The Big Tease") who wants his sperm to impregnant her hostile girlfriend Leslie (Nia Long, "Boiler Room").
When they're not kibbitzing about their love lives, they're scoping out potential partners, which they alert the others to check out using the code word 'meanwhile.' They all unsuccessfully avoid playing on Jack's Broken Hearts softball team, where they're so spectacularly bad they can barely tie a seniors group. The central conflict is that of Dennis in contrast to Cole. When Cole dumps Kevin, Dennis steps in to comfort him, denying his attraction to the younger man. Cole, meanwhile, gets a shot at a Hollywood film and its long-rumorred-to-be-gay-but-married star and a proverbial dose of his own medicine.
Berlani, who both rejects (no mention of Aids) and embraces (Taylor demands Judy Garland to ease his upset) gay stereotypes has created a pleasant ensemble comedy that plays like a gay 'Friends' crossed with "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Some of his writing is clever, such as having Cole use a breakup to practice an audition script he's written on his hand or when the group compare themselves to Somalian monkeys who wait until mating season, then attack each other.
Berlani also captures naturally enjoyable performances from his cast, particularly Olyphant, Keegan, Cain and Mahoney. Technically the film looks good, wisely keeping locations economical.
B
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