Broadway Damage

Two friends, a young gay man and his straight girl friend share an apartment in Manhattan and try to deal with life in the big city. Mara Hobel is very funny as the fag hag friend and the movie is light and comical as it explores the characters lives and loves. Seeing the film in a packed house of gay men in Manhattan made it clear that the filmmaker was pretty on target as the audience laughed with recognition through most of the film. A very fun movie!

There's not too much in this film which is challenging or thought provoking. It is light and entertaining - there are a few small laughs - a few musical numbers (although not enough to justify the title) and a few gentle plot twists.

It is a bit clichéd gay - you could say gay for straight people. Intimate moments are very tame and usually only hinted at. It is certainly safe for your maiden aunt.

Acting, and cinematography are handled in a workmanlike, but unremarkable way. The lead, Michael Lucas, is good to look at but the director rarely takes advantage of his physique.

Scripting is the film's achilles heel. It can be ponderous and dreary. While other parts seem rushed and unfinished. Too often dramatic tension is wasted particularly in the closing scenes.

Not a great film but not awful either.

This is a sweet movie, yes, sweet movie about gay love, gay friendships, gay life and finding the right guy in your life. It took me back to the days when I went through this, myself, while living on the West Side in New York. I, too, had a girl-friend, a bit overweight by the name of Cass Elliot [Mama Cass before success]. Mara Hobel reminded me of Cass, except Cass didn't go back to Baltimore, where she was from. Hobel had some wonderful moments [funny and sad]. The boys did well for themselves. The gorgeous Michael Shawn Lucas [Marc] and his romantic tryst with Hugh Panaro [David] seemed doomed from the beginning. It was the key case that gave him his walking papers in my diary. Yet Panaro gave the role lots of depth without making him just a sleeze-ball. Some tenderness in him and such a body, oh my. I'd ask him in to share my bed. But the line, "Let's be lovers for just one night" went out in the 60s. When was this movie filmed? Then there was dear sweet Robert [Aaron Williams] who without those glasses looked really cute. Sort of a good looking Gilligan [from Gilligan's Island]. That book store clerk was crazy to turn him down. His scene where he wrote the song for Marc [and by the way, it was a gorgeous song and I'd love to have a recording of it] but then denied it when discovering Marc with David was touching. Yet, when he finally sang the song for him, my heart went out to him. And still he was denied. Ugh! But, love wins out in this and thanks for that goes to writer/director Victor Mignatti. Mignatti is a romantic, thank heavens, and gives us this special Valentine of love. Victor, if you ever read this critique, where can I get a copy of that song that Robert sang?

C'mon, World, wake up and REdiscover this little gay gem of a movie. There are so many out there that easily deserve their 0- or 1-Star; surely this little pearl deserves more. Yes, 1997's "Broadway Damage" is probably one of the most underrated and least known "gems" of gay filmdom........why not discover its delights yourself? So, just what is it about this production? Well, hey, there's no weird, dreary storyline; it's lite and fun......with guys who are not afraid to kiss. Yes, Michael Shawn Lucas (as Marc) has a body "to die for" and, c'mon, when he's also as earnestly sincere and sweet as he is, who wouldn't wanna wind up with him. And it would be very hard to forget Aaron Williams (as Robert), playing an endearing "little puppy" of a guy, who'll bring down Marc in the end. In fact, both male leads wear their sincerity on their sleeves----kinda refreshing to think there might still be guys like this out there.

Above all, if you can't stand the sunny sincerity of a Broadway musical (but without all the singing), then stay away from this cuz it definitely tries to be sincere.......and succeeds at that in spades. Along with this there's really great cinematography: brite and colorful (how'd they do it with what must have been a piddl'in budget?). Hey, and there's that soundtrack to fall in love with, too. How Director Victor Mignatti put all this together, with no more money than he likely had, is anybody's guess and is a minor (scratch that), major miracle. How does a guy like this then just disappear from directing for the next 8, 9 years? Sad, sad, sad.

In closing, one thing to possibly question is if maybe, just maybe, Director Mignatti should'a rethought the title. "BD" might resonate more with NY City-ers, but his own within-the-movie phrase: "The Grand Gesture" might have had more meaning to audiences at large (would the latter, as a title, have drawn in more viewers/buyers who'd fondly remember this film?). Ah, well, Monday morning "after-thought-ing" is always easier, isn't it? Besides, any way you look at it, Marc and Robert are gonna wind up being one of the favorite couples you'll meet in your home film library from time to time.....I betcha.

PS: You know what? I'll even betcha this movie is one that other favorite film couples, such as Aaron & Christian (see Title 1, below) and Cedric & Laurent (see Title 2, below) would wanna have in their home video collections.

(1) "Latter Days" / (2) "Just A Question Of Love"

The acting, for a low budget movie, is surprisingly not horrendous. The story is coherently told and is shot in an unobtrusive straight forward manner. It's just that the characters are insipid, the plot is predictable, and sitting through it borders on mentally damaging. The characters are written as if they are supposed to be likable, clever, thoughtful, and funny. They are instead, vapid, predictable, shallow and a total waste of time.