Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Heartbreakers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 9, 2022

In 1984, film critic Gene Siskel covered “Heartbreakers” on the review show, “At the Movies,” tearing into the picture for its lack of likable characters, making for a deeply unsatisfying sit. It’s one of those great Siskel moments when he latches on like an angry dog to one idea and won’t back down, determined to decimate the feature as a wholly unpleasant viewing experience. Such a take isn’t entirely wrong when examining “Heartbreakers,” as it does highlight the actions of extremely self-absorbed people refusing to step back and think about their actions, running purely on soured instinct. However, writer/director Bobby Roth doesn’t remain fixated on toxic behavior, making a noticeable effort to get past it to better understand what makes the main characters tick, providing an interesting psychological study with difficult men and their self-made problems.

Blue (Peter Coyote) and Eli (Nick Mancuso) are best friends in Los Angeles, trying to make sense of their lives and the potential of their female relationships. Blue is a painter of pin-up art working intimately with model Candy (Carol Wayne), watching as his longtime girlfriend, Cyd (Kathryn Harrold), leaves him for King (Max Gail), a more successful artist. He’s destroyed by the experience, vowing to clean up his act and focus on his work, pushing for the prestigious T. Ray Gallery to give him a show. Eli works in women’s sportswear, trying to manage the death of his verbally abusive father and find a lover, making a connection to gallery employee Liliane (Carole Laure), who’s attracted to both Blue and Eli, creating a divide between the buddies, threatening their seemingly unbreakable bond.

“Heartbreakers” examines the connection between Eli and Blue, with the friends engaging in friendly battles of racquetball, sharing meals at their favorite local spots, and communicating to the best of their ability, with Roth aiming to highlight a uniquely open male relationship. This aspect of the film is almost thrilling to watch, as intimacies between buddies is not normally explored, with the material looking to get inside this dynamic and pick around the cancerous elements that’ve developed over the years. Eli and Blue are close, but they have their separate missions in “Heartbreakers,” with the painter finally ready to take his career seriously, looking to become a major force on the art scene, hoping to make money along the way. The salesman struggles with family business and loneliness, though Roth clearly favors Blue’s adventures in maturation, leaving Eli more of a supporting player in the endeavor.

Complications are everywhere in “Heartbreakers,” mostly focusing on romantic and sexual relationships. Blue can’t let go of Cyd, but he’s drawn to the forbidden charms of Liliane. Eli finds a potential partner in the gallery assistant, but recognizes Blue’s presence in this romantic journey, complicating their connection. There’s Candy as well, with the fetish model unafraid of boundaries, setting up an evening of three-way sex with the men, putting their comfort levels to the test. “Heartbreakers” embraces the shapelessness of these experiences, with Roth interested in how the characters react to setbacks and forward behavior, intent on capturing an internalized howl that gradually builds over of the run time, with Coyote and Mancuso providing excellent work as the troubled men, and Wayne adds something small but special to the movie, emerging as an unexpected highlight.

Heartbreakers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Heartbreakers" is sourced from a 35mm interpositive. Some softness is encountered, but detail largely communicates wear and tear on the characters, offering decent skin particulars and costuming textures. Interiors explore art spaces and hangout spots with acceptable clarity, doing well with graphic displays, and exteriors retain some dimension, following the action around the city. Colors are respectfully refreshed, preserving a cooler sense of urban living, cut with brighter elements of art and period fashion. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavier but film-like.

Heartbreakers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix delivers compelling dialogue exchanges, which preserve the softer emotional and sexual moods of the feature, and argumentative situations are equally balanced. Music handles comfortably, offering a pronounced synth sound with sharp percussion. Soundtrack selections also provide distinct beats and vocals. Atmospherics are appreciable, entering restaurants and gallery gatherings. Some damage/distortion is present during the listening event, most evident around the hour mark.

Heartbreakers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (18 pages) includes essays from Margaret Barton-Fumo and Richard Harland Smith.

• Introduction (:30, HD) offers a moment with writer/director Bobby Roth.

• Commentary features film historians Chris O'Neill and Bill Ackerman.

• Isolated Music Score is presented.

• "Pieces of My Life" (35:44, HD) is an interview with writer/director Bobby Roth, who explores his Beverly Hills upbringing, eventually making his way to USC Film School, helping to create his initial directorial outings. A trip to the Cannes Film Festival put Roth in touch with Costa-Gravas, who helped the young talent find his way. Orion was interested in making "Heartbreakers," and the interviewee explains how real relationships and personalities found their way into the screenplay. L.A. locations are identified, including extensive use of Duke's Café, which was a real gathering spot for actors in town. Casting is also celebrated, along with big crew hires, including cinematographer Michael Ballhaus. Living near Michael Mann put Roth in touch with Tangerine Dream, who provided the score. Editing lessons are noted, and the initial release of "Heartbreakers" is recalled, with the endeavor playing for weeks at the Egyptian Cinema in Los Angeles.

• "Mr. Amour & The Outsider" (20:07, HD) is a dual video conference interview with actors Peter Coyote and Nick Mancuso (who's sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower). The men share details from their early careers, finding their way into the acting business, and they recall meeting with writer/director Bobby Roth, responding to his special script for "Heartbreakers." Casting tales are offered, with Coyote replacing a difficult person in the part. Co-stars are examined, with special love reserved for the late Carol Wayne, and the pair share immense fondness for cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, who taught the men to create a special relationship with the camera. Characters are analyzed, along with real- world influences, and Judaism is explored. Dealing with a picture carrying a "European sensibility," both Mancuso and Coyote are happy to have the film find a second chance on disc, clarifying their tremendous pride in the work.

• "Bobby Roth's 'Heartbreakers' Tapes" (17:05, SD) is an assortment of deleted scenes, essentially restoring subplots involving Eli and his emotional journey.

• Alternate Sex Scene (3:03, HD) returns to the menage a trois sequence.

• Image Gallery (1:05) collects film stills and poster art.

• T.V. Spot (:28, SD) delivers a single commercial for "Heartbreakers."

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Heartbreakers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Heartbreakers" confronts dark feelings and unresolved pain, and Roth doesn't always provide a smooth understanding of shame. The feature is a little too random at times, with undercooked subplots and a disappointingly abrupt ending, and focus on the Liliane situation doesn't provide much dramatic firepower, making for a draggy third act. "Heartbreakers" is most alert and open with Eli and Blue's personal situations of growth and honesty, with Roth nailing the nuances of male friendship, eager to delve into the messiness of their mental blockage and routines to best extract a dramatic understanding of a bond in need of refreshing, catching up with aging men and their new set of personal needs.