The Gist:
Deciding that he needs a break from his hectic unfulfilling life, Jake returns to the small Arizona town he grew up in. When he had left 15 years prior, he and his best friend Kyle were teenagers in love, but too afraid of the consequences of being gay. When they meet again as adults, will they still have the deep connection they once shared, and if so, will they be able to do what they could not as kids and build a life together?
Comments with minor spoilers:
I liked the movie though I'm not entirely sure why, since when examined it's not so much good as barely ok.
The basic premise could be interesting, two people not quite able to get over their fears of coming out when teenagers, meeting again as adults. Throw in some commentary on what it means to be gay in a small town and it should be good. But instead of good, this is heavy handed and weepy.
Despite liking it, the best thing I can say about the movie is that it is a sweet natured story, and that the acting and execution isn't terrible.
However, start looking at the negatives, and problems quickly pile up. Why do the actors playing young Kyle and adult Kyle speak nothing like each other? Young has a generic American accent, while adult has a mumbling heavy "Hick" drawl.
The movie has one of the worst stage punches I have ever seen, and secondary characters appear to exist not to add to the story, but instead merely so the main characters would not be talking to themselves in long monologues. Also, unfortunately for a romance drama, the adult actors have next to no "chemistry" with each other. Which does not help my (admittedly cynical) suspicion that despite the movie's attempts to portray them as soul-mates, after 15 years apart, these two guys have so little in common they would not last long as a couple.
On the other hand, going back to positives, while the adults have no chemistry with each other, the teenage actors play very well off each other and are believable in playing love/desire/angst.
After writing this and trying to think it out, I'm still unsure of the exact whys of why I liked the movie. Regardless, it is not something I would exactly recommend, at least not without a warning to approach it with low expectations.
Women:
Two. An advice giving aunt (and one of the better actors in the movie), and a woman who as mentioned above seems to exist solely so the leads don't spend the entire movie talking to themselves.
People of Color:
None.
Gratuitous nudity:
No actual nudity, just occasional flashes of skin as characters change clothes.
- Director: Jeff London
- Writer: Jeff London
- Actors: James McCabe, Eric Dean
- 92 min
- IMDB
