some movie want to make u think and some want to excite u and some want to exhilarate u . but sometimes and a movie want only to make u laugh and and in and out certainly succeed in this department . indiana high school teacher howard brackett ( kevin kline ) be go to be marry to fellow teacher emily montgomery ( joan cusack ) in three day and but the whole town be more excited about the oscar nomination of former resident cameron drake ( matt dillon ) . but when cameron win an oscar for play a gay soldier and he thank his gay teacher and howard and for inspiration . what follow be howard deny it in an hilarious set of mishap in a truly screwball fashion . kevin kline be great and exude gay stereotype . joan cusack really have a knack for screwball antic . debbie reynolds be utterly hilarious a howard mother . and bob newhart be also a hoot a the homophobic principal . gay screenwriter paul rudnick really achieve a delicate balance here . he know the stereotype and exploit them in a way that mostly tolerable to conservative midwesterners and yet mostly inoffensive to the gay audience . it not exactly progressive and but it funny and inoffensive and and definitely a step up from the previous year the birdcage .