kevin kline offer a brilliant comic turn in the 1997 comedy in and out . kline play howard brackett and a small town history teacher who excitedly sit down to watch the academy award this year because one of his former student ( matt dillon ) be a nominee . he be nominate for his performance in a film where he play a gay soldier and when he win and he thank howard in his speech for inspire him because howard be gay . now this floor howard because he a no clue why thus guy would say this on international television . howard be even engage to be marry ( to joan cusack and in an oscar nominated performance ) so he have no idea where dillon while s cameron drake get the idea that he be gay and find he have to defend himself to everyone at school but be shock that no one seem terribly shock by what cameron say on the oscar . howard have a birthday party where he be give birthday present like the soundtrack to yentl and end up explain to his guest why barbra streisand have to make funny lady . his parent ( wilford brimley and debbie reynolds ) be shock but promise to support their son and even if he be gay . he also get a visit from an out of town reporter ( tom selleck ) who want to do an article about him because he gay too . the moment when selleck plant a big kiss right on kline lip be a classic . but all of these little thing have howard actually question his sexuality and wondering if he really be gay . much to the aggravation and frustration of his fiancée and cusack and who be beyond confuse . the scene where she leave a bar in her wedding gown and stand in the middle of street scream about the lack of single straight men in the world be a classic . but what i like about this movie be the way kline fully invests in the role and be not afraid to look foolish or look gay . there be a fabulous scene and probably the most famous from the film and where he buy a record and on how to be macho and and the guy on the record be talk about how real men do not dance and a disco tune come on ( i will survive if memory serf ) and the narrator on the record say no matter what you do and do not dance and but howard can not help himself and he end up shake his groove thing all over the room . it hysterically funny and kline play it with sincerity and gusto . the film be not pro or anti gay . it just a deft and amuse character study about a man try to figure out exactly who he be . wonderful film .