Rose Troche became the toast of the indie world in 1994 with her defiantly lighthearted lesbian love story Go Fish, and she shows the same refusal to get heavy with Bedrooms and Hallways, her sophomore effort. That it worked a bit better the first time around seems somewhat beside the point. The proceedings here are so cheerfully foamy, any criticism would just evaporate along with the bubbles.
Londoners Leo (Trainspotting's Kevin McKidd) and Darren (Tom Hollander) are yin-yang roommates, one (Leo) a down-to-earth bemused type looking for Mr. Right, and the other (Darren) a campy extrovert very happy to hook up with Mr. Right Now. Darren's set, at least for the time being: he's having a steamy affair with a kinky real estate agent. But Leo still hasn't found what he's looking for, so on a whim, he joins a friend's "men's group." The group consists of six guys who attempt new-agey stuff like exploring the child within and communing with nature, but their inner kids prove reluctant to be resurrected, and on their camping trip they end up ditching the berries and ordering Chinese food (which aptly sums up the film's sense of humor).
One day, when it's his turn to hold the "truth stone," Leo admits his attraction to another group member, Brendan (James Purefoy). Brendan quickly discovers he digs Leo right back, despite his live-in girlfriend of seven years, Sally (Jennifer Ehle). At first, Sally suspects Brendan is having an affair with Leo's female neighbor. When she goes to confront the hussy, she runs into Leo, who, it turns out, is her long-lost childhood sweetheart. And if things weren't complicated enough, as Leo and Sally reacquaint themselves, they feel the chemistry all over again. So, to recap, Brendan and Sally are living together; Brendan and Leo are sleeping together; Leo and Sally are falling in love. Only, in the film's neo-Noises Off manner, no one but Leo knows exactly what's going on. Eventually, everything is revealed, everyone finds happiness, and they all have a party. Sorry if I've given anything away, but if you're not the type who likes neat wrap-ups, you'll be wasting your money on this movie and should know in advance.
If, however, you're very content to spend a couple of hours bathing in escapist froth, you could do much worse. With the exception of the very bland Purefoy, the cast is entirely agreeable, McKidd and Ehle being particular standouts. For your added entertainment, Troche has littered B&H with visual treats like film-inspired dream sequences, � la Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (to which this movie bears a marked resemblance). I could carp about the absurd coincidence that brings Leo and Sally together, the old-news new age jokes, the utter lack of substance. But why? Troche has built quite a colorful little house of cards, and with such likeable residents inside, I don't see any reason to knock it down.
Back to Bedrooms and Hallways Article Index