The Broken Hearts Club

Last updated

The Broken Hearts Club
BrokenHeartsClub.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Greg Berlanti
Written byGreg Berlanti
Produced by
  • Mickey Liddell
  • Joseph Middleton
Starring
Cinematography Paul Elliott
Edited byTodd Busch
Music by Christophe Beck
Production
companies
  • Banner Entertainment
  • Meanwhile Films
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
Release dates
  • January 29, 2000 (2000-01-29)(Sundance)
  • October 20, 2000 (2000-10-20)(United States)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1 million [1]
Box office$2 million [2]

The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy is a 2000 American romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Greg Berlanti. It follows the lives of a group of gay friends in West Hollywood, centered on a restaurant owned by the fatherly Jack (John Mahoney) 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.

Contents

The Broken Hearts Club was Berlanti's first feature film, based on his circle of friends at the time. The movie was met with generally favorable reviews from critics, receiving praise for portraying homosexuality as normal and its characters as average gay men. The film focuses on "the universal themes of romance, acceptance and family", as opposed to AIDS, coming out, and sex, which are more controversial and stereotypical topics commonly covered in LGBT films. [3]

Plot

The film follows the lives of a group of gay friends in West Hollywood. Among the group is Dennis, a photographer who often holds the group together; Cole, a handsome, charismatic actor who — often unwittingly — ends up with other people's boyfriends; Benji, the youngest member of the group who has a penchant for gym-bodied men and who finds himself going through some bad times; Howie, a psychology student who is known for overthinking every situation; Patrick, the cynic of the group; and Taylor, who has just broken up with his long-term boyfriend.

Guiding them is restaurant owner Jack, who provides them with advice and jobs for some of them who work part-time as servers at his restaurant. But when tragedy strikes, and the group's newest member, 23-year-old Kevin, attempts to fit in, their friendships are put to the test.

Cast

Production

Development

The Broken Hearts Club was written by Greg Berlanti about his own circle of friends at the time; the Howie/Marshall storyline is semi-autobiographical to a relationship Berlanti once had. [4] The film had a working title of The Broken Hearts League as well as 8x10's, a term Berlanti's sister used to describe the men he dated. [1]

Casting

The production was able to secure funding from the studio with the casting of John Mahoney and Timothy Olyphant. [1] Dean Cain took a role against the wishes of his agents, who had cautioned him against playing a gay character. [5] Billy Porter, who was the least known of the actors cast at the time, won the role of Taylor when he "[imbued] the character with heart and something real" in his audition. [1] The film also stars Nia Long, Mary McCormack and Justin Theroux. It features a cameo from Kerr Smith, who knew Berlanti as the showrunner on Dawson's Creek and enjoyed the script so much he asked to be a part of the film. Jennifer Coolidge was cast as the hairdresser Betty, to whom all the guys, with the exception of Howie, go for hair therapy.

Filming

Filming began in October 1999 [5] and took place over the course of thirteen days [6] on a $1 million budget. [1] The movie was filmed in Los Angeles and West Hollywood, while restaurant exteriors and interiors were shot in Long Beach. [7] The hardware store scene was filmed in Laurel Hardware Company in West Hollywood. [7] The film was distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment and its subsidiary Sony Pictures Classics and produced by Banner Entertainment and Meanwhile Films. [8]

Music

The original music for The Broken Hearts Club was scored by Canadian composer Christophe Beck. [9] The film also made use of songs by The Carpenters, covered by Mary Beth Maziarz. On September 19, 2000, WILL Records (now Lakeshore Records) released the film's soundtrack. [10]

  1. "Love Machine, Part 1" – The Miracles
  2. "From Here to Eternity" (radio edit) – Giorgio Moroder vs. Danny Tenaglia
  3. "Let the Music Play" (Junior Vasquez Mix) – Shannon
  4. "Beg for It" (Mad Tizzy Mix) – Barry Harris
  5. "Time for Love" – Kim English
  6. "Share My Joy" – GTS featuring Loleatta Holloway
  7. "Learn2Love" – Kim English
  8. "Young Hearts Run Free" – Kym Mazelle
  9. "(They Long to Be) Close to You" – Mary Beth Maziarz
  10. "We've Only Just Begun" – Mary Beth Maziarz

Release

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 29, 2000. [11] It received a limited release on September 29, 2000, followed by a wide release on October 20, 2000. [12] [13] The Broken Hearts Club was released on Region 1 DVD by Sony Pictures on March 6, 2001 [14] and on Region 2 DVD. [15]

Reception

Box office

In its opening weekend, showing at seven theaters, the film made $109,694. [2] Two weeks later, the film made $153,468 as it reached twenty-eight screens and the week later, it grossed $175,553 as it reached fifty-six. [2] In its eighth week of release, The Broken Hearts Club played at sixty-two theaters. [2] The film's domestic gross totaled $1,746,585 after twelve weeks of release. [5] [2] The movie was released in a number of countries in 2001 and played at various gay and lesbian film festivals worldwide. [16] The Broken Hearts Club grossed $272,536 outside of the United States, bringing its worldwide gross to $2,019,121. [2]

Critical response

The movie review website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 64% approval rating, based on 28 reviews, with an average score of 6.03/10. The site's consensus states that the film "often feels like an amalgam of 70s sitcoms – though a hunky lead and a sweet central romance provide soapy delights". [17] According to Metacritic, the film has scored 51% based on 17 reviews, indicating mixed or average reviews. [18] Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four, praising the film's positivity and "the ordinariness of its characters and what they talk about." [19] Ebert noted that "instead of angst, Freudian analysis, despair and self-hate, the new generation sounds like the cast of a sitcom, trading laugh lines and fuzzy truisms." [19] CNN's Paul Clinton also lauded The Broken Hearts Club for focusing on "the universal themes of romance, acceptance and family", as opposed to AIDS, coming out, and sex. [3] Clinton viewed the film as "reminiscent of those classic films that explored the complex dynamics of friendship", calling it "a heartwarming, glorious movie for anyone who has ever had a friend – or a family." [3]

Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly called it "a majority oriented movie that assumes sophisticated familiarity with a sexual minority". [20] Jami Bernard from Daily News commented "It's the first mainstream gay movie that feels totally comfortable in its shoes". [21] Desmond Ryan from Philadelphia Inquirer described the film as having an "undemanding and reassuring amiability that made it a crowd-pleaser at Sundance." [18]

On the other hand, Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt the characters were "boring" and "uninteresting". [22] Bob Longino of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution summarized the movie as "sometimes funny, sometimes a yawn". [23]

The film was often compared to the 1970s film The Boys in the Band , directed by William Friedkin, although Ebert and LaSalle both felt that The Broken Hearts Club was generally more upbeat and optimistic. [3] [19] [24] [25] Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly exclaimed that the film shows "how far homosexual characters have come since The Boys in the Band, sad AIDS dramas, and cute identity peekaboo sitcoms". [20] Longino, however, commented that "Broken Hearts doesn't break much new ground. Actually, The Boys in the Band did the groundbreaking 30 years ago." [23]

Accolades

YearOrganizationAwardCategoryResultRef.
2001 Casting Society of America Artios Awards Best Casting for Feature Film, IndependentNominated [26]
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Film (Limited Release)Won [27]

Related Research Articles

<i>Chasing Amy</i> 1997 film by Kevin Smith

Chasing Amy is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Lee. The third film in Smith's View Askewniverse series, the film is about a male comic artist (Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian (Adams), to the displeasure of his best friend (Lee).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Grant</span> English actor (born 1960)

Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. Hallmarks of Grant's comic skills include a nonchalant touch of sarcasm and characteristic physical mannerisms. He has received several accolades including a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards. He received an Honorary César in 2006. As of 2018, his films had grossed a total of nearly US$3 billion worldwide. In 2022, Time Out magazine listed Grant as one of Britain's 50 greatest actors of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Farrell</span> Irish actor (born 1976)

Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor. A leading man in blockbusters and independent films since the 2000s, he has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards and a nomination for an Academy Award. The Irish Times named him Ireland's fifth-greatest film actor in 2020, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023.

<i>Scary Movie</i> 2000 film by Keenen Ivory Wayans

Scary Movie is a 2000 American slasher parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, alongside Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Starring Jon Abrahams, Carmen Electra, Shannon Elizabeth, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, Regina Hall, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, and Dave Sheridan, it follows a group of teenagers who accidentally hit a man with their car, dump his body in a lake, and swear to secrecy. A year later, someone wearing a Ghostface mask and robe begins hunting them one by one.

Clorinda "Linda" Fiorentino is an American former actress. Fiorentino made her screen debut with a leading role in the 1985 coming-of-age drama film Vision Quest, followed that same year with another lead role in the action film Gotcha! and an appearance in the Martin Scorsese film After Hours. Noted for her "raven hair, intense gaze and low voice", Fiorentino was placed No. 66 on the 1995 edition of Empire magazine's list of the 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History by a reader's poll.

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, collectively known as Siskel & Ebert, were American film critics known for their partnership on television lasting from 1975 to Siskel's death in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Berlanti</span> American television writer and producer

Gregory Berlanti is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series Dawson's Creek, Brothers & Sisters, Everwood, Political Animals, Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and You, in addition to his contributions to DC Comics on film and television productions, including The CW's Arrowverse, as well as Titans and Doom Patrol. In 2000, Berlanti founded the production company Berlanti Productions.

Kerr Smith is an American actor known for playing Jack McPhee on The WB drama series Dawson's Creek, Kyle Brody in The WB supernatural drama Charmed, Robert in Freeform's The Fosters and Axel Palmer in My Bloody Valentine 3D. He is also known for portraying Carter Horton in Final Destination (2000) and starred in the movie Where Hope Grows (2014).

<i>Brokeback Mountain</i> 2005 film directed by Ang Lee

Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx, the screenplay was written by Ossana and Larry McMurtry. The film stars Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams. Its plot depicts the complex romantic relationship between two American cowboys, Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, in the American West from 1963 to 1983.

<i>Love & Basketball</i> 2000 film by Gina Prince-Bythewood

Love & Basketball is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood in her feature film directorial debut. The film is produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It tells the story of Quincy McCall (Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan), two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, who are pursuing their respective basketball careers before eventually falling for each other.

<i>Waking the Dead</i> (film) 2000 American film

Waking the Dead is a 2000 mystery drama film directed by Keith Gordon and starring Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly. The screenplay by Robert Dillon is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Scott Spencer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Gandolfini</span> American actor (1961–2013)

James Joseph Gandolfini Jr. was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian-American Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series The Sopranos (1999–2007). For this role, he won three Emmy Awards, five Screen Actors Guild Awards, and one Golden Globe Award. His role as Tony Soprano has been described as one of the greatest and most influential performances in television history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolas Cage filmography</span> List of acting performances by Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage is an American actor whose career began with a role in the 1981 television pilot The Best of Times. The following year, Cage made his feature film acting debut with a minor role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the second and last time he went by his birth name Nicolas Coppola, which he changed professionally to avoid allegations of nepotism due to his connection to the Coppola family. In 1983, Cage starred in the teen romantic comedy Valley Girl alongside Deborah Foreman and had a supporting role in his uncle Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish.

<i>Love, Simon</i> 2018 American teen romantic comedy drama film

Love, Simon is a 2018 American teen romantic comedy drama film directed by Greg Berlanti, written by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker, and based on the 2015 novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. The film stars Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, Talitha Bateman, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. It centers on Simon Spier, a closeted gay teenage boy who is forced to balance his friends, his family, and the blackmailer threatening to out him to the entire high school, while simultaneously attempting to discover the identity of the anonymous classmate whom he has fallen in love with online.

<i>Fire Island</i> (film) 2022 film directed by Andrew Ahn

Fire Island is a 2022 American romantic comedy film directed by Andrew Ahn, written by and starring Joel Kim Booster. The film co-stars Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, and Margaret Cho. The plot follows a group of gay friends on vacation at the titular New York island, where romance becomes complicated by classism in a story inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Distributed and produced by Searchlight Pictures, the film was released June 3, 2022 on Hulu, to generally positive reviews.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Reddish, David (October 21, 2020). "Happy 20th: How Greg Berlanti's 'The Broken Hearts Club' changed the course of queer cinema". Queerty . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Broken Hearts Club (Weekend)". Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Clinton, Paul (October 3, 2000). "See The Broken Hearts Club with someone special". CNN . Archived from the original on February 2, 2008. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  4. Kilday, Gregg (June 6, 2000). "The Big Movie Preview — Broken Hearts Club". The Advocate . p. 32. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Stack, Tim (February 13, 2019). "'The Broken Hearts Club': Inside the making of the 2000 gay rom-com". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  6. Goldberg, Lesley; Berlanti, Greg (June 8, 2020). "Greg Berlanti Looks Back: Making 'Love, Simon' Fulfilled "A Desire to Have Characters That Represent All of Us in Movies"". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  7. 1 2 "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (2000) Filming & Production". IMDb . Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  8. Thomas, Kevin (September 29, 2000). "'Broken Hearts' Deftly Depicts Moving On With Life". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  9. Willis, John (2002). Screen World. Vol. 52. p. 120. ISBN   9781557834799 . Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  10. "The Broken Hearts Club (2000 Film) [Soundtrack]". Amazon. Archived from the original on January 9, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  11. Harvey, Dennis (February 6, 2000). "The Broken Hearts Club". Variety . Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  12. Foreman, Jonathan (September 29, 2000). "On Being Young & Gay in L.A." New York Post . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  13. Rosen, Steven (October 20, 2000). "A smart look at gay friendship". Denver Post . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  14. "The Broken Hearts Club (2000) - Playback region 1". Amazon . March 6, 2001. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  15. "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy (Playback Region 2)". Amazon.com . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  16. "Awards & Festivals — The Broken Hearts Club". MUBI . Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  17. "The Broken Heart's Club (2000)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. October 13, 2000. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  18. 1 2 "Broken Hearts Club, The". Metacritic . Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  19. 1 2 3 Ebert, Roger (November 10, 2000). "The Broken Hearts Club". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  20. 1 2 Schwarzbaum, Lisa (October 6, 2000). "Movie Review: 'The Broken Hearts Club'". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  21. Bernard, Jami (September 29, 2000). "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy". NY Daily News .
  22. LaSalle, Mick (October 6, 2000). "Broken Hearts gets boring fast". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  23. 1 2 Longino, Bob. "The Broken Hearts Club". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  24. Gomez, Patrick (August 13, 2020). "The Broken Hearts Club said gay love stories aren't tragedies anymore". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  25. Lim, Dennis (September 26, 2000). "Boys in the Bland". The Village Voice . Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  26. "2001 Artios Awards". Casting Society of America. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  27. Doyle, Vincent (March 1, 2016). Making Out in the Mainstream: GLAAD and the Politics of Respectability. p. 96. ISBN   9780773598591 . Retrieved October 1, 2021.