It's obvious that Brendan is going to wink in Leo's direction, but with the understated McKidd so hesitantly lovable and the mouth-watering, masculine Purefoy so unapologetically desirable, Go Fish director Rose Troche makes the obviousness an asset. She's created a world in which things like this just happen -- and people, though easily hurt and heartbroken, simply move on. She's helped by a terrific supporting cast: lovely Jennifer Ehle as Sally, Leo's school chum and Brendan's clear-eyed lover; Tom Hollander, hysterical and unexpectedly three-dimensional as Leo's flamboyant flatmate; and Simon Callow as the tirelessly grave men's group leader.
Troche and her screenwriter, Robert Farrar, too frequently get coy and simple in a TV kind of way (and the chipper musical scoring is definitely a mistake). Both would do better moving away from some of the screwball antics at hand. There is, for example, one really entertaining men's group bit involving a member's significantly self-indulgent "spontaneous rebirth," but the film is far more successful when it doesn't wander into silliness and subplots.
The best thing about how Troche handles the affections here is the same quality that distinguishes most British gay films from their sodden American counterparts: a refreshingly sunny casualness. Every kiss and touch between men, fleeting or otherwise, is accomplished without the overwhelming din of the filmmakers patting themselves on their backs for their heartwarming bravery. People just need each other, and at least in Bedrooms & Hallways, it's eventually no big deal.
Casual Kisses and a Likable Cast
