vincentlynch-moonoi This is a pretty enjoyable movie that happens to be about a group of gay men, but it doesn't keep throwing that in your face. It's laid back. What's most interesting is to see a few actors very early in their careers...some of whom "made it", some of whom sorta disappeared. And, about half the actors are actually gay, while the other half are straight...but they're pretty convincing here.Ben Weber is one of those whose career didn't go very far...and I'm not surprised; here he plays a sort of out-of-place gay man who is having a lot of trouble finding his place. Timothy Olyphant is one who sorta made it, and he shows the personality to do so here, where he plays a rather confident and down-to-earth gay man. Zach Braff is particularly interesting...one of those who has been quite successful; here he plays a blonde gay man who is a bit on the shallow side. Dean Cain, who found his place as a successful television movie actor plays "the hunk" of the group; I always thought he should have been more successful. Andrew Keegan probably was the most talented (at least in this film), and while he isn't a household name, he's had a decent career; here he plays a not-out man. Billy Porter does nicely as the requisite Black character; he's been more successful on Broadway than flicks or TV. Matt McGrath has the deepest character here as a troubled gay man; his career has been troubled, as well. And, perhaps the biggest surprise -- John Mahoney (yes, the father in "Frazier" -- as the gay everybody's father type that holds the group together. In other words, the writers set out to include every kind of gay character you can think of (except the wildest), and accomplished that.Of course, the film avoids many aspects of gay life...it's a bit sanitized. But it's a decent ensemble story...multiple subplots, but no main plot to follow. But, it's not all fluff. There's sadness and joy, heartache...and lots of everyday life. The one thing that is oddly missing from the film is HIV, although there is some drug action. There's something for everyone here, and even if you're straight, you might just learn a bit about how gay folks aren't that different than you.

MovieHoliks I couldn't remember if I had seen this or not, so thought I'd check out this 2000 comedy off HBO GO, and Two Snaps Up! Written and directed by Greg Berlanti, "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" follows the lives of a group of gay friends in West Hollywood, centered on a restaurant owned by the fatherly Jack (John Mahoney, "Frasier"'s dad!) and the softball team he sponsors. The friends rely on each other for friendship and support as they search for love, deal with loss, and discover themselves. The film does a good job of portraying homosexuality in a normal context, just as any film dealing with similar issues involving straight friends. It was fun seeing Mahoney especially play this character. He was the one thing that made me "think" I had maybe seen this awhile back-??-but not sure. And I was ROTFLMAO during the softball game!! Timothy Olyphant, Dean Cain, Nia Long, Mary McCormack, and a pre-"Scrubs" Zach Braff round out the cast.

Foxbarking I saw "The Broken Hearts Club" when I was 25 years old. I had been out of the closet for 9 years already and had seen about every gay movie ever made. The vast majority of them were painful coming out stories that I couldn't relate to as my coming out was a wonderful time for me. My friends and family loved and accepted me.The reason this movie resonates with me is because it was the first gay movie I could relate to. So much was captured in the film that was a snapshot of my life. There was the way gay guys sit around all day talking about men. The petty jealousy of ex boyfriends who still want to sleep with each other. The thing that struck the strongest chord with me, however, was the way Kevin, after being so apprehensive about being with gay people, became completely acclimated to the group. It was my life when I was 24 exactly. To this day I still watch this movie ad it tugs at my heartstrings because it is the most accurate portrayal of gay life as I have known it.Before and after, no gay movie has been able to do what "The Broken Hearts Club" did so well. It portrayed the newness, the apprehension, the fear, the adventure, the heartache, the friendship and the survival that goes along with being gay. If you're gay, you should watch this movie to see that there are people who can relate to you. If you're not gay, watch it and understand what happens to many of us in our lives. You won't regret it.

MSmithMovieCritic May Contain Spoilers I just got around to watching this movie a few days ago and I have to say as a heterosexual male it was a pretty decent movie. The story focuses on a group of homosexual males leading lives in LA. The movie does not focus on the stereotypical gay male. Many times when they are talked about the subject of AIDS, and sex come up but you never here about the average life like most people lead. Being gay is just a preference in partnership...it doesn't mean your any different in your life outside of your relationship.I originally stumbled across this movie because of actors Dean Cain and Zachary Braff. Braff in the beginning I thought was just a little too much but then I realized that each actor fit into the character he was playing and any other combination would have messed it up.Last but not least, the main point that I took away from this was not about the gay community but about how true friends come to you in a time of need. It may have taken a while for the characters to realize what kind of friendship they had with each other (and for Benji (Zach Braff) he almost kills himself,) but when the friends find out what kind of trouble he is in, they come running.8/10MSMITH