Actually, the full title for this flick, released in 2000, is "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" but that title is really, well, gay. But since this is a movie about young gay men, I guess it's appropriate, eh?
While the plot is nothing extradordinary for a gay-themed motion picture--young men growing up in Los Angeles, experiencing life, love, and plenty of drama along the way--the A-list cast of young actors is of note. Everyone from Dean Cain (of Lois & Clark fame) to this year's breakout star of the sitcom Scrubs, Zach Braff, is in this flick. Frasier dad John Mahoney is also along for the ride to look silly in drag and to dispense wisdom to the young 'uns, and does a fine job of it, while his life partner (only known as "Purple Guy" because of his penchant for purple track suits) plays piano. The movie is fluffy, to be sure, but, hey, where else are you gonna see Superman mackin' on every cute boy in sight? And while the movie doesn't avoid some dreaded gay cliches--none of the boys has one ounce of body fat, yet they all worry about being ugly and sexually unattractive, for example--the screenwriter and director Greg Berlanti does give his actors some juicy one-liners to toss out there, including my personal favorite, "I feel like I'm in some sort of gay soap opera, and any minute Sue Ellen's going to come in and tell me she's secretly bought controlling interest in my oil company!"
Timothy Olyphant, in the lead role of Dennis, is suitably detached-yet-sensitive, yet most of his own growth in the movie is via vicarously experiencing the life lessons of his friends. So, of course, this makes Dennis a photographer. I swear, gay boys in movies are always either a) photographers, b) jocks, but not for any of the big sports, because, you know, they don't allow no fags in the big sports. So he's always on the swim team or water polo or something aquatic, or c) not just punk but PUNK.
It's not a message movie, it's not that much of a romantic comedy, there's (shocking, but true) hardly any sex scenes or nudity in it and, refreshingly, AIDS is barely mentioned, but the movie's got a sweetness to it that most gay-themed films seem unable to attain. You really feel that all the central characters have known one another for longer than five minutes, are comfortable with and within their circle of friends, and are just trying to get by with a little help from said friends. In fact, it's kinda like a "very special episode" of an all-gay Friends. And Dean Cain's Rachel. That alone is enough for me to recommend the movie to you, gentle reader.
Here's the full production info, taken straight from IMDB:
Directed by
Greg Berlanti
Writing credits (WGA)
Greg Berlanti (written by)
Cast (in credits order)
Timothy Olyphant .... Dennis
Zach Braff .... Benji
Dean Cain .... Cole
Andrew Keegan .... Kevin
Nia Long .... Leslie
John Mahoney .... Jack
Mary McCormack .... Anne
Matt McGrath (I) .... Howie
Billy Porter .... Taylor
Justin Theroux .... Marshall
Ben Weber .... Patrick
Robert Arce .... Purple Guy
Michael Bergin .... Kip Rogers
Chris Payne (I) .... Larry (as Chris Payne Gilbert)
Nora Burns .... Female Shopper
John Brandon .... Mickey
Diane McBain .... Josephine
Robert Peters (I) .... Cop
Leeza Vinnichenko .... Russian Woman
Christopher Wiehl .... J. Crew Guy (as Chris Wiehl)
Jennifer Coolidge .... Betty
Kerr Smith .... Catcher
Ken Kerman .... Umpire
Brian Gaskill .... Brian
Christian Kane .... Idaho Guy (as Chris Kane)
David Youse .... Barry
Chris Weitz .... Director
rest of cast listed alphabetically
Matt Reid .... Gynocologist
Charlie Weber .... The 'New Newbie'
Gary Weeks (II)
Paul Weitz .... Assistant Director
Produced by
Connie Dolphin .... line producer
Sam Irvin .... co-producer
Mickey Liddell .... producer
Joseph Middleton (I) .... producer
Julie Plec .... co-producer
Original music by
Christophe Beck
Cinematography by
Paul Elliott (I)
Film Editing by
Todd Busch
Casting by
Joseph Middleton (I)
Michelle Morris (III) (as Michelle Morris-Gertz)
Production Design by
Charles Daboub Jr.
Set Decoration by
Mark Macauley (II)
Costume Design by
Mas Kondo
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian Hennessy .... first assistant director
Mitch Kelleher .... second assistant director
Thomas Kuk .... second second assistant director
Art Department
Scott Bauer .... property master
Cindy Kelleher .... art department photography
Sound Department
Brad Bryan .... additional boom operator
David Chornow .... sound mixer
Paula Fairfield .... sound supervisor
Jason George (I) .... supervising sound editor
William Munroe .... boom operator
Carla Murray .... sound designer
sound effects editor
Other crew
Louis DiCesare .... gaffer
Tim Durr .... best boy electric
Jack Skeets Gleeson .... production assistant
Matthew R. Hannon .... post-production supervisor
Cindy Kelleher .... still photographer
Julianne Kelley .... music supervisor
Harry C. Muller .... color timer
Kevin P. Patterson .... electrician
Moulaye Sene .... electrician