Broadway Damage (Blu-ray) (1998)

I couldn't help but to think of Barbra Streisand as I watched this film. In her best performances, Barbra played the role of the ugly duckling who falls in love with the handsome leading man (Omar Shariff, Robert Redford, Jeff Bridges). This movie follows a similar formula, where Robert is the ugly duckling and Marc is the handsome leading man.

Robert has two dreams: becoming a songwriter and landing Marc. Likewise, Marc also has two dreams: landing a role on Broadway, and finding a handsome boyfriend. In addition to their friendship, Robert and Marc have one thing in common: "girlfriend" Cynthia, who is trying to find a job (one job in particular, that is). Marc and Cynthia decide to share an apartment. One day, while staring out the window of their new apartment, Marc discovers the man of his dreams (a musician with stunning good looks, of course).

Marc explains to Robert the concept of the "Grand Gesture". Its when you swallow your pride, buy flowers or something, and let that special person know you're in love with them. Easy for Marc to say, since he is good looking and popular with the gents. Not so easy for Robert, who gets turned down by the card store cashier. Humiliated, Robert gives up on good-looking boyfriends.

Here is where the story varies from the typical Streisand plot. While ugly-duckling Streisand becomes the beautiful swan by using her voice, her talent or (in the most fictional of plots) a makeover, Robert stays plain old Robert. Can Marc see past Robert's dull exterior? Can Marc see past the musician's beautiful exterior? Will Robert get the courage to do the "Grand Gesture" to Marc?

Those are the questions to be answered in Broadway Damage. By the way, what's with the title? Alhough the movie explains what "broadway damage" is, I'm not sure it was the best choice for the title. Personally, I would have chosen "The Grand Gesture".

Back to Streisand... If you love "The Mirror has Two Faces", you'll love Broadway Damage. If you hated "Mirror", chances are you'll still like Broadway Damage, anyway.

Like a good Broadway show, this film has it all: a great-looking, talented cast; a clever story; memorable music; optimism; and a warm-hearted ending. Michael Shawn Lucas is perfect as Marc, a sweet hunk trying to make it as an actor on Broadway. He goes to audition after audition, suffering rejection after rejection. Hence, Broadway 'damage'. His nerdy but cute song-writing friend Robert (Aaron Williams) harbors a secret passion for him, but hides it because handsome Marc is a perfect 'ten' and, therefore, out of reach. Their companion Cynthia -overweight and over-the-top -is played by Mara Hobel, no stranger to campy films. She played opposite Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford's daughter in 'Mommie Dearest', one of the great camp classics of all time. The three friends share career problems, relationships, and other personal traumas. They are loveable and a joy to watch. When Robert finally makes his 'grand gesture' to Marc, he does so in a wonderfully witty song (by Cindy Soltoff) which is sweet, bouyant, touching, and tuneful enough for any Broadway show. This is a real hit.

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If you love a good romantic fantasy, you'll probably LOVE this. This film is about reliving those risk-taking moments when first falling in love, and it's ultimately about friends, arguing in favor of love beginning with a strong friendship. There are so few films of this genre (sad we even call this a genre) that have a light-hearted feeling. The script isn't an oscar contender, but that didn't bother me. The characters & performances have their sweetness and humor, and are easy on the eye. All my friends and I loved it (even the cynical ones).

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"Broadway Damage" is the most adorably classic, campy, sassy romantic comedy I've seen in years!

Lead role, Robert (Aaron Williams), is absolutely cute as a button and his witty Broadway-style songwriting will make you blush and smile and get up and sing! Fellow lead, Michael Shawn Lucas, plays the role of Marc, an aspiring (not so successfully) Broadway star. The two are precious in a 'perfect ten' sort of way, and are accompanied by their quirky "fag hag," hilarious, gay-ball-busting best friend Cynthia. I have to admit I'm a softie for this actress, Mara Hobel, who was also a star in "Mommie Dearest" ("No more wire hangers!"). Brilliant. Just campy brilliance.

The production is brilliant, the characters and acting impeccable, and most of all, the climate is over-the-top, Broadway-inspired, campy bliss with the rooting of a classic romantic comedy. Ingenious, this one, and I guarentee it will leave you smiling and wanting more, especially if you're at all exhausted with the consistent formula of gay cinema. Pick this one up; it's charming and zany, and you won't be disappointed!

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"Boy meets boy" is one of the timeless plotlines -since the ancient Greeks at least -and this well-acted romantic comedy adds a number of twists and turns to what could have been standard fare. The showbiz wannabes of the title who lust after, long for, love, lose, and land one another are appealling, and the men are all goodlooking -even the presumably plain Robert, who in the real world would have no trouble attracting another man, even if he did wear a stupid porkpie hat as here. Perhaps that's why the director put the hat on him, to try to disguise how cute he is. The lead hunk, Mark, has a frequent bemused smile that suggests thoughtfulness. He is appalled to learn that casting agents think he "reads light," and it's one of the movie's accomplishments that Michael Shawn Lucas as Mark carries off the combination of masculine appearance, conversation almost devoid of camp, and an unaggressive sensitivity that makes you like him -he's the hunk with a heart of gold, even though he is also clearly a gym bunny for whom climbing a tree is an exotic experience. His elusive "must have item," David, is dark and pretty as a movie mystery man should be. As the Long Island princess, Mara Hobel is good, but her character's main shtick (trying to land a job interview with Tina Brown despite having zero qualifications) is dragged out too long. The resolution of one of the movie's main romantic dilemmas in the last reel feels very artificial and is the only wrong step in this otherwise charming and witty tale.

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