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The Broken Hearts Club - Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff, Dean Cain, Greg Berlanti

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

The shortest distance between friends isn't always a straight line.

Every few years a seminal comedy about a group of friends comes along that captures the exact spirit of the times: Diner, The big chill and Swingers to name a few. This year the tradition continues with first time director Greg Berlanti's The Broken Hearts Club, a slice of life comedy with a twist - the guys are gay.

For promising West Hollywood photographer Dennis (Timothy Olyphant), his friends - exasperating as they are - are the ones who make single gay life bearable. He loves them but they drive him crazy. He hates them yet can't imagine life without them. He can't find a moment's peace from them - but they're always there when he needs them. As he prepares to celebrate his 28th birthday Dennis laments, "I can't decide if my friends are the best or worst thing that ever happened to me."

The Broken Hearts Club is 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 Greg Berlanti it's also about something everyone can relate to: "How screwy and dysfunctional friends can be but also how wonderful."

Dennis' eclectic crew of pals is certainly living proof of Berlanti's statement: there's Benji (Zach Braff), the innocent youth with spiky hair and a penchant for gym bodies; Howie (Matt McGrath), the psychology graduate student who thinks too much and lives too little and Cole (Dean Cain), the charismatic actor who accidentally steals everybody's guy. Rounding out the crew is Patrick (Ben Weber), the cynical quipster with a fragile heart and Taylor (Billy Porter), the drama queen who until recently prided himself in his long-term relationship.

Providing sage advice - and, for several of the guys, steady work - is Jack (John Mahoney), beloved patriarch, softball coach and part-time drag performer whose restaurant is a social haven for the gang.

Into the mix steps Kevin (Andrew Keegan), Cole's latest abandoned conquest and a "newbie," a young man not quite out of the closet. Dennis takes it upon himself to show Kevin the ropes as a newly outed gay man.

With the notable exception of elder statesman Jack, their lives are in various states of disarray. Howie lacks the discipline to resist his sexy pot-smoking ex-boyfriend while Patrick's lesbian sister, Anne (Mary McCormack), has just solicited his sperm to father a child with her despotic girlfriend, Leslie (Nia Long). Meanwhile, Benji can't introduce a new love interest to the group without somebody else moving in on him and Taylor gets bad news via phone from Hawaii - he's been dumped. Dennis simply worries he might never truly forge his own path or have a life outside this crazy, bickering bunch.

As they make their ways in the world with and without each other, they are suddenly faced with an unexpected tragedy. The group finds comfort the only way they ever have - together. "I can't remember when I first realised I was gay, only the first time I knew it was ok," says Kevin. "It was when I met these guys - my friends."

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film romantic comedy guys gay West Hollywood gym straight ensemble photographer

Persons of interest

Timothy Olyphant .... Dennis
Zach Braff .... Benji
Dean Cain .... Cole
Andrew Keegan .... Kevin
Nia Long .... Leslie
John Mahoney .... Jack
Mary McCormack .... Anne
Matt McGrath .... Howie
Billy Porter .... Taylor
Justin Theroux .... Marshall
Ben Weber .... Patrick
Robert Arce .... Purple Guy
Michael Bergin .... Kip Rogers
Chris Payne Gilbert .... Larry
Nora Burns .... Female Shopper
John Brandon .... Mickey
Diane McBain .... Josephine
Greg Berlanti .... Screenwriter
Greg Berlanti .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Broken hearts club official movie site
Awards and film festivals:

Studios and distributors:

Sony Pictures Releasing

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

If you've ever been gay or if you've ever lived in the gay community you will recognise every single one of these people. It's not that they're all stereotypes, just that there are only so many personalities to go around the scene. Is that a bitchy comment? Get over it.

One good thing about The Broken Hearts Club is the universality of the situation: gay men all over the western world are living this life. Maybe it's because that's the way gay men are, or maybe the homosexual conspiracy is more organised than you thought.

Meanwhile, as you would expect from a gay film, the lines are snappier than a nun's girdle. (I wonder if there's a gene for snappy comebacks.) There's also an essential tragedy that hovers over every gay man's life in a way that it doesn't for the straights. Perhaps it's that never ending sense of doom that creates such rich and bitter humour; homosexuals are the Americans most likely to understand irony. It might be a societal thing (coming out, fag bashing, homophobia, homelessness) or it might be inherent to the perverted gay lifestyle, but it sure makes for good film. The next best thing was full of it, Bedrooms and hallways revelled in it and Priscilla, Queen of the desert placed it on a pedestal. The Jews often have it (those who went through the holocaust, anyway), so do ethnic minorities in relaxed and comfortable multicultural Australia. Hmmm... maybe it's got more to do with persecution than perversion.

But that's a topic for another day. The Broken Hearts Club is an easy, laid back comedy with a whole heap of romance thrown in for good measure. There's also a scene where Dean Cain gets head, if you're into that sort of thing. Not that there's anything wrong with it. Actually, Dean does really well in the whole thing. It's not as easy to play a meat-head as you'd think, especially as Cole also happens to be trying real hard to look like he has a personality. Dean was really well cast.

Speaking of the cast, you can have lots of fun playing "spot the straight." Some of the actors are blatantly gay and proud to flaunt it but one or two could very well be on the other side of the fence. It's of no consequence because their characters are all well and truly gay, but the game is fun for those with a six second attention span.

If you're homophobic you'll be appalled at the gayness of The broken hearts club. It minces no words and makes no apologies for being that way inclined. If you're straight and your girlfriend takes you to see it (keep her close so no-one thinks you're gay) you'll find yourself laughing out loud the same way you did when you saw Priscilla. If you're gay or female it's worth seeing just for the eye candy (like City Gym but without having to meet anyone you'd rather avoid). If you've ever had a broken heart you'll relate to what's going on. Big time.

In conclusion, I will say this: life's a bed of roses, lots of petals and lots of pricks. Enjoy.

Media intelligence (DVD)

Disc type: single side, single layer
Picture: Widescreen (2.35:1/16:9 enhanced)
Languages: English (5.1), German (5.1)
Subtitles: English, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Icelandic, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian Turkish, Hebrew, Bulgarian, Hindi, Arabic, German
Commentary: Greg and producer
7 Deleted scenes
Talent profiles
Original movie trailers
Bonus movie trailers