Where's the Gay Storyline in 'Valentine's Day' Trailer?

By PopEater Staff Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:58AM

On first glance, the star-studded trailer for the movie 'Valentine's Day' seemed like a romantic comedy with a boatload of star power and box office appeal. However, as more begin analyzing the nuances of the trailer, some are calling foul about one omission -- the gay storyline between Bradley Cooper and Eric Dane. So is it a case of smart editing to throw off viewers, or the studio being worried that the real storyline might alienate some people from seeing the film? Opinions after the jump!

'Valentine's' Trailer'

In the trailer, it's hinted at that 'Hangover' star Cooper and Julia Roberts are romantically linked. However, when one digs deeper, it's actually 'Grey's Anatomy' star Eric 'McSteamy' Dane that Cooper is keen on, yet that isn't shown in the trailer.

Blogs like AfterElton.com and Jezebel.com have noticed the absent Cooper-Dane love, and vented about it.

AfterElton's Ed Kennedy writes: "Is it really impossible to market an ensemble romantic comedy to the masses with a gay couple in it? Could that really be considered a bad marketing move in Hollywood now? First, a gay director (Tom Ford) takes a movie about a gay man based on a book by a gay man and degays the marketing for that movie, and now this?"

Jezebel points out that "with all of the other couples in the film being shown kissing and excepting [sic] marriage proposals, one gets the sense we're supposed to expect the same from Roberts and Cooper." In fact, during the trailer when Roberts and Cooper are seen sitting next to each other on an airplane, the narrator says "there's always a chance for romance."

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Bradley Cooper Photos

Bradley Cooper sure is a handsome fellow, isn't he? He's seen here at the Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony in October. Click for More Pics of Bradley Out and About >>>

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Bradley Cooper Snapshots

Â© BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Actor Bradley Cooper smiles as he leaves his home wearing matching blue sweater and sunglasses. NON-EXCLUSIVE December 22, 2009 Job: 91222M4 Venice, California www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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FILE - In this film publicity image released by Warner Bros., Zach Galifianakis, left, Bradley Cooper, center, and Ed Helms are shown in a scene from "The Hangover." The film was nominated Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009 for a Golden Globe award for best motion picture comedy or musical. The awards will be held on Jan. 17, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Warner Bros., Frank Masi, file)

©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM ***NO CANADA RIGHTS*** Actress Renee Zellweger sips on a hot beverage while organizing a cart of her luggage upon arrival to Vancouver International airport (YVR) to visit boyfriend Bradley Cooper. Renee gets some VIP treatment from an Air Canada worker and thanks him by shaking his hand. EXCLUSIVE November 13, 2009 Job: 91116W2 Vancouver, Canada www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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Cooper's 'Valentine's' character was always openly gay from the inception of the movie. The Hollywood Reporter described his role as "a gay man whose lover is a closeted football player."

Dane's role, however, was a bit more vague. "A quarterback struggling over the decision of whether to retire," was the description given by Variety -- only somewhat linking him to Cooper's "closeted football player" crush.

Tags: bradley cooper, BradleyCooper, eric dane, EricDane, julia roberts, JuliaRoberts, valentines day, ValentinesDay

Comments

(137)

Tuesday 29 December

By Debbie

Vote down Vote up Report this

You are exactly right. When I go to the movies with my friends on a girls' night out, we are NOT interested in watching two men making out. And most married couples are NOT interested in watching two men go at it either. Sorry, not interested.

By KC

Bill, the most wonderful thing we want for you is your own planet. No hate involved.

By Karen

Enough already with these ridiculous antics. So what....the trailer doesn't show a gay couple? Who cares. It's 2 minutes and 16 seconds of the film. From the sound of it, we've already determined that there is in fact, gay involvement in this movie...why can't knowing be good enough?

By Vic

The AOL Quiz or Vote for public opinion are ambiguous. It is like asking do you still beat your kids or only when drunk too? This most recent-Was it to avoid showing a gay plot or was it to subtly hide viewers from the issue. HUH? Whats the difference?

By Steph

Wow. And I almost wanted to see this movie

By usermn3156@aol.com

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Oh get a grip, people, and grow up. Gay people have been here since the dawn of time. Who cares. Get a life.

By guernica531

amen!

By Libby

I love the fact that so many of you wish to call homosexuality "abnormal" or imply that God didn't create us the way we are.
If that's the case, why have there been many observed instances of animals exhibiting homosexual behavior? I don't think the penguin saw a movie and thought "hey, this looks cool... let me try it". No, they are the way they are because that is how God made us and intended us to be.
God loves me, lesbian and all.

By pchlavendar@aol.com

You people need to get a life. Who cares if they're gay or straight. What a bunch of whining babies.

By Wen

I didn't get the vibe that the Bradley Cooper/Julia Roberts pairing were romantic at all. By the way they hugged one another at the end- didn't look like a romantic one to me.

There have been a lot of misleading trailers vs. actually seeing the movie. Anyone see District 9? Totally different than what the previews depicted it to be.

By Kthomas

Dear Susan,

As a gay man I would LOVE to go to the Island of men ONLY. I could already tell you what would happend if it existed. You would wake up one morning to find Your brother, boss, lawyer, and favorite heart throb missing.

By Nancy

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Why would I want to see any movie about two guys getting hard about each other. Who cares? Go watch a porno movie if that's your thing. Leave the movie going public out of your bad taste.

By brad

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Its repulsive and repulsive doesn't sell. Don't ask, don't tell.........

By lucky

This trailer reminds me of Love Actually. If it follows the same format, the gay story will be one of many about different types of love.

By boricuarojo

to Lovok, very nice, a little self serving but still well written although you missed one "closeted gay priest molesting alter boys". Let's keep it real now.

By Laura

I truly think the Media has way too much time on their hands and nothing better to exploit or demonize at this time.

By njtopit

Once again the media turns things around and makes them out to be something they are not. There is only so much that they can show in a trailer without showing the whloe movie. They also have to leave some surprise elements don't they? The media should stay out of everything and quit twisitng the facts around to make a headline.

On another note. I went to Popeater to look at the Bradley Cooper picutres. Once again they say 100 Bradley Cooper snaphots. They forget to mention that of those 100 Bradley Cooper Snaprhots about 56 of them are Renee Zelweiger, unless that is Bradley is disguise. Please, whatever happened to truth in advertising. It clearly doesn't apply to POPEATER.

By yabbi

most movie trailers divulge way too much plot, some are like sitting thru a fast-forward of the film. it's apparent to me the marketers of this film don't want to give away its plot. I believe they are hiding the truth about it intentionally, in order to attract homophobics. i wonder if said homophobes will be upset when they figure out the plot, if they can.

By rosegold22

This is the same thing they did to the Brokeback Mountain trailer. What a joke Hollywood is. Hollywood is more homophobic than the general public could ever be. They were afraid to even hint that Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Watson had something going on. They told Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law to tone it down in the press.

By Rick Alger

Who Cares????
For Gods Sake people when does the Political Correction B.S. in this Country end???

You dont see me screaming at the top of my lungs that I am an extremist because I am a white male that likes women.....

Just Zip it already....this Country's getting out of control....cant wait to leave it!!!

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