Bedrooms and Hallways; Head On

No matter what genre a movie is, after story, the most important thing is character.

Many movies have failed because they were unable to develop even one interesting or likable character — or in some cases, the films had so many characters they lost their focus.

Two new, uneven gay-themed films are prime examples of both:

• Like much of gay cinema, "Bedrooms and Hallways" has an unhealthy fascination with "The Boys in the Band," the pioneering 1970 William Friedkin film that has spawned nearly three decades' worth of bad imitations.

Though "Bedrooms" threatens to become another, the makers of this romantic comedy steer it away from dramatic territory and into more comedic waters. The end result isn't perfect, but it at least

feels a little more original than most.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that the movie has an appealing cast of British film and television actors, including Kevin McKidd ("Trainspotting"), who stars as Leo, a gay twentysomething.

Tired of hearing about Leo's romantic troubles, one of his co-workers invites him to join a men's support group. Leo is a reluctant participant at first but then finds himself attracted to another group member, Brendan (James Purefoy). However, there's one big obstacle standing in the way of their relationship — Sally (Jennifer Ehle), Brendan's ex-girlfriend and Leo's childhood sweetheart.

The resolution to this romantic triangle may surprise (if not disappoint) some audiences, but the leads make it work pretty well.

Also, director Rose Troche ("Go Fish") wisely keeps the tone lighthearted, in spite of a few dead-end subplots.

"Bedrooms and Hallways" is not rated but would probably receive an R for simulated sex, both gay and straight (much of it overheard), crude sex talk and use of vulgar slang terms, scattered profanity, a brawl and brief male nudity.

• The one question "Head On" leaves unanswered is why anyone should care about its characters, especially the main one.

Based on Christos Tsiolkas' novel, "Loaded," this "one-day-in-the-life-of" tale from Australia tries to deal with some pretty important topics, including generational gaps and ethnic tensions.