jrschulz-1

I gave it 2 stars only because of the good camera work by Thom Best. He is well respected among Canadian independent filmmakers. However for me, that was the film's only saving grace.

FAR TOO MUCH slapstick. There was no IQ requirement to the humour. A Woody Allen, Monty Python, or Mel Brooks fan would find Men with Brooms a dreadful bore very shy on the laughs side. From dreadful Biblical quotes to the cornball beaver scene in the road, I saw no saving graces, other than Best, that would prevent me from plagarizing Roger Ebert's ungraceful tag "Your Film Sucks".

However, if you liked cornball slapstick like Airplane, which I do not, you mind find this funny. For me, humour has to engage my mind and thought processes and this film fails on all levels here. This is not comedy for those with high levels of intelligence.

If you are looking for something to fall asleep with, then this is a perfect yawnfest. With such sensational Canadian film from Egoyan and Cronenberg, to name a few, Men with Brooms destroys our image of being capable of making great film. It actually angers me a bit.

The first vision most people will have when debating whether or not to see Männer zum knutschen (Men to Kiss) is that the film would be more aptly titled Men who Kiss. It is easy to understand why when one considers the fact this films focus is gay lovers. I suggest that any of you who have formed this preconceived notion evict this thought from your minds immediately. This production is not about men who make out and it is entirely free of gratuitous erotica. Men to Kiss is a light-hearted, albeit absurd, comedy starring Frank Christian Marx and Udo Lutz in the lead roles. It is a German production, filmed almost entirely in Berlin, with English subtitles.

I had the opportunity to view this film at the Calgary Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival 2012 which is runs from May 24 to June 2. Producer/Actor Frank Christian Marx is taking this film on a world tour and thus far it has received critical acclaim.

Men to Kiss is about the trials and tribulations of two gay lovers, banker type Ernst (Marx) and Tobias (Lutz), prone to histrionics, who are still unsure of the strength of their relationship only have the ultimate femme fatale, Ernst's sadistic childhood friend Uta (Alexandra Starnitzky), dropped within their midst, hell-bent on splitting this couple up.

What transpires is a refreshing comedy that jumps from genre to genre throughout the film, leaving the audience never bored. It borders on the absurd, takes a helping hand from slapstick and corn, and takes generous helpings of sarcasm and sardonic humour as side dishes. Lead Frank Christian Marx also wrote the script and it is obvious that his influences are diverse and well developed. Be it a Fellini like surrealism, a Monty Pythonesque absurdity, good old fashioned Carry On slapstick, or Marx Brothers style corn, Marx and director Robert Hasfogel morphed these genres into a dramatic comedy, surprisingly, that is uniquely their own.

Early in the film, the couple's friends become aware of Uta's mad desire to break Ernst and Tobias up. What transpires is a hilarious plot to save them from Uta's clutches. Business like Ernst and flamboyantly histrionic Tobias compliment each other well playing off of one another as the serious straight fall guy and the comic who never seems to take things seriously, that is until Uta arrived on their doorstep.

This is the first gay themed film that I have viewed that does not enter into the realm of gay politics and rights. It is strictly a comedy about two lovers that just happen to be gay. If you enjoyed La Cage aux Folles, the probability is high that you will enjoy Men to Kiss. It will appeal to both straight and gay audiences alike. According to Frank Christian Marx, in Germany it is getting better reception in front of non-gay audiences.