Heartbreakers has been a white whale for me for some time. I saw it several times in the 80s but since then have searched streaming sites and even tried to watch a Spanish dubbed version on MGM. But the new released Blu-Ray finally makes it available with solid picture quality and a clear stereo soundtrack.

The film revolves around the relationship of Blue, a struggling artist, and Eli who is unhappily successful. As the movie unfolds, layers in their relationship including romantic jealousy, a supportive power dynamic, and mutual career jealousy are revealed. The dialog is authentic and honest.

What I value in the film are its exploration of the depth Blue and Eli's friendship and a presentation of both sides of the conflict between art and commerce. In many instances, the characters express writer-director Bobby Roth's conflicted feelings about art and grasping for "success". It's a complicated subject that's handled with nuance and no judgement.

Peter Coyote is excellent as the up and down Blue who revels in life but is also frustrated by his relative lack of success. Carol Wayne, best known for her many appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show as the Matinee Lady in the Art Fern's Tea Time Movie sketches, adds depth to the ensemble as the centerpiece of Blue's art work. Carole Laure is believable as the object of Blue and Eli's affections.

The film is a time capsule of 80s styles and culture. Many of the things you love or hate about that decade are present. The soundtrack of R&B and blues is rudely interrupted by Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield" which sounds like an early mix to the point that it's almost unrecognizable as her.

Heartbreakers is a rare film that explores male friendships, artistic vision and success, and what is ultimately important to each of us in life.

What's amazing about that too is the fact that these are narcissistic characters, the ultimate example of the "me" era, but obviously only that way because they believe that's how expected there supposed to come off. The story focuses on two men, mainly Peter Coyote as an artist named Blue and Nick Mancuso as his tied at the waist pal Eli, who works for his father. In spite of the title, these two seeming ladies man really are not, both deep down searching for love and making the rounds of various beautiful women in their efforts to find the perfect one.

The main female part is played by Carole Laure, the gallery owner where Coyote's artwork is being displayed. Both men fall for her in different ways and it's obvious that she has definite commitment issues, usually seen as a men's problem in films like this so that's a nice twist. The fact that all of these characters seem confident on the surface but all are pathetically insecure makes for interesting character development.

The early to mid 1980's was an interesting time as the culture of the young was changing from the frivolous seventies to a more ambitious eighties. You hear that definitely in the music, and the use of a lot of reverb in the songs played over the drama expresses the emotions of a confusing time with lots of changing social issues.

The alluring Kathryn Harrold is really good as Coyote's live in girlfriend who moves out when she feels that their relationship isn't progressing and that he doesn't appreciate her. Ironically it's a very similar role too Kathleen Turner's part in "The Accidental Tourist", both actresses discovered while playing vixen Nola Dancy on the daytime soap opera "The Doctors". As a time capsule back to nearly 40 years ago, this is fascinating, and it works well as a character study of how supposedly perfect people in their esteem have quite a few failings that are keeping them from reaching their best.