This is the second vertical AI BL drama I've sat through, and honestly I went in knowing better. I had it on while I was doing cardio at the gym, and what struck me was just how much the plot echoed the last one I watched. Same step brother romance angle, same mystery girlfriend showing up near the end, same extra guy pining after one of the leads. Genuinely the only thing going for it was the runtime, the whole thing wrapped up in forty five minutes flat. The setup kicks off with Finn moving schools because his mom just married into money. He finds out his new step brother Aiden goes to the same place, and he's warned to keep his distance from him. Their first run in at school is rocky, just like you'd expect, but there's this odd pull between them neither can shake off. Finn keeps telling himself not to read into it because Aiden's straight and openly homophobic. Things shift when some kids start bullying Finn and the student council president, Ryan, steps in to ...
Its apocalypse time and the world is going to end soon. People are fleeing (where?) and everyone is doing their own thing. Some people are staying together, some people are abandoning their families and everyone’s deepest fears and desires are coming out. 2 best friends Alex and Diego decide to spend the day together walking the streets of their city. Alex is gay and shares stories of the guys he has met. Diego is straight and is a very close and supportive friend for Alex. During their conversations, it comes out that Alex is still a virgin. Although he ha set many guys, he never went all the way with someone, because he can only do it with someone who he trusts and he proposes that Diego to have sex with him. Diego is initially mad but still doesn’t leave the side of his friend. He leaves the idea open and says that he will think about it. The two of them end of at Alex’s home and this is where the sexual tension, will he won’t he, where is the line between friendship and love, is it sex that matters or is Alex in love with Diego? These and many more questions rise and get answered during next 30-45 minutes of their time spent at home. Diego decides to ultimately do it but things end up at an unsatisfying place where Diego just can’t do it. The friend say good bye and it seems that the final moment of world coming to an end is also real close.
This film explores the concept of fluidity of sexual desire. It is interesting that in the beginning of the film, when Alex shares stories of him blowing straight guys at school, Diego mentions that he is old fashioned and believes that people are either gay or straight. And then he is the one who ultimately ends up giving into Alex’s wishes. People may argue that Diego also had hidden desires but I disagree. I strongly think that he was a genuine very nice and caring friend for Alex. A friend to whom it doesn’t bother to hear about Alex’s problems, his gay sex escapades or even his string sexual desire for his friend. The narrative also goes into many flashbacks, which again is handled in a very unique way, and each new flashback adds nuance to these 2 young men trying to discover who they are and what they want to do before it is too late. The 2 lead actors are simply superb. Their chemistry with each other is one of the best I have seen in recent times. They do a very admirable job of balancing the equation of friendship and sexual tension between the two. I think its thanks to the director. The scene where Alex makes Diego watch gay porn is amazing. Diego’s reactions are to die for. Both the young man are extremely good looking but the simplicity and Diego’s smile made me root for him lot more than Alex. At some point Alex became more of a sympathetic character rather than someone who is in control. Diego’s character balances him really well. I am not sure why the film was set with apocalypse as the backdrop but maybe this has also to do with the fact that to show that people refuse to explore outside their comfort zone and their life outside the limited world. Maybe if they know their time in the world is limited, they would be more open to things.
This film may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I would recommend this film just for the natural and extremely wonderful camaraderie that the leads share and lighten up the screen with the brilliant portrayal of 2 best friends wanting something and doing something different because ultimately they both care for each other. (8/10)
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