paul rudnick ( jeffrey and addams family value ) write this frothy tale of a mild mannered school teacher ( kevin kline ) who be outted on the academy award by a former student turn actor ( matt dillon ) . the rest of the film deal with the absurdity revolve around this setup the effect on the town and his fiancee ( joan cusack ) and himself and climax with an everybody love everybody finale . if youre an angry gay right activist or a naive youth look for an accurate portrayal of a man struggle to come out or a true depiction of gay life and then save yourself the trouble and rent something else ( maybe beautiful thing ) or read a book ( giovanni room ) . if you be able to understand that this film be inspire by the piousness of tom hank speech on the academy award when he win for philadelphia and poke fun at hollywood culture and small town ignorance and you have a fondness for 30 screwball comedy ( bring up baby and holiday and the palm beach story ) then enjoy . far from be a biting satire and the film try for the exuberance of a preston sturges farce and come damn close . no and it not wouldeep or powerful neither be romy and michelle and 9 to 5 and or young frankenstein and it doesn not pretend to be while it keep it tongue firmly in cheek . it get too preachy and maudlin for it own good toward the end and sure some of the joke be a bit stale ( there also a locker room scene that could have be cut ) but after sit through countless comedy that misfire and it like a breath of fresh air . kevin kline and tom selleck be wonderfully game while debbie reynolds and wilford brimley add fine support . the excellent joan cusack award win performance be stellar and the great bob newhart be and well and bob newhart . the fact that many have be offend by in and out be as absurd a the mentality of the townsfolk it poke fun at while personally and i be more offended by philadelphia . i will take harmless fluff over sanctimoniousness anytime .