Brokeback Mountain -Brownwood to Austin: The theatre was full of couples !

It's a date: 'Brokeback' romance draws couples
By Marco R. della Cava, USA TODAY

In four weeks, Brokeback has recouped its modest budget (south of $20 million) and is now in 120 diverse markets. "We're doing huge grosses in places like Fort Worth and Cleveland," hardly gay capitals, says James Shamus, chief of distributor Focus Features.
One fan says Brokeback Mountain's Heath Ledger "makes being a cowboy look awesome again."
He says exit polls indicate that the longer the movie remains in a city, "the number of women attending with their (male) significant others goes up dramatically."
Still, the film's subject matter can be a tough sell. Comedian Larry David joked in a New York Times commentary that "cowboys would have to lasso" him into the theater, because he's sure the voice in his head would say, " 'You like those cowboys, don't you? They're kind of cute.' "
David Fone of San Diego had "no desire to see the film," but, like many men, was lured by Brokeback's stellar reviews celebrating characters whose sexual orientation takes a back seat to their humanity. Fone acknowledges he "grimaced" during the love scenes but "enjoyed (the film) thoroughly."
So did Linda Rodriguez of Los Gatos, Calif.: "Somewhere during the movie I forgot that it was about two gay cowboys and found it to be a very tragic and touching love story, and my boyfriend agreed."
Anna-Marie Ganje of Minneapolis went with her husband; the film "haunted" them for days. "If you're open-minded, you know that love between two people is love," she says. (Related story: Brokeback selling well in the heartland)
The movie has emerged as a test of hipness for straight men, says Andrea Miller, founder of relationship magazine Tango: "The coffee dates after this movie surely are filled with intense conversations that get into areas of vulnerability, and women love that in a man."
And, some men insist, they're up for the challenge.
"Give us straight guys some credit. Not all of us are homophobic and turned off by films that deal with relationships," says Adam Robinson of Washington, D.C. "Occasionally I love to see things blow up, but we're not all 13-year-old boys anymore. Plus, there's nothing wrong with a non-sexual crush on (Brokeback co-star) Heath Ledger. He makes being a cowboy look awesome once again."
During filming of the cowboys' final meeting, there was evidence the story would appeal to a broad audience. "Ang suddenly noticed everyone was crying," Shamus says. "This was the crew, folks who are just there to do a day's work. Right then, we thought, 'We have something here.' "
source: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-01-09-brokeback-date-movie-main_x.htm?csp=34
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