Even though this film is something like 30 years old at this point, so much of it still feels weirdly relevant today. Gay relationships still get messy, people still hide things from each other, couples still carry their own insecurities, and balancing love with sex is still a real struggle. The movie basically follows three couples, or something close to couples, who head out to the countryside together for a weekend. Right from the start we get quick intros to all three pairs. First up are Paul and Ben, together for five years now, though things between them aren't great at the moment. Paul's been on edge lately, especially since losing his brother, and this whole weekend trip is actually meant to celebrate his birthday. Then there's Matt and Owen, who only met three months ago, with Matt already convinced he's found the one and asking Owen to move in with him, while Owen just feels smothered and a little too loved for comfort. And finally there's Will and Adam, w...
Right from the start we get quick intros to all three pairs. First up are Paul and Ben, together for five years now, though things between them aren't great at the moment. Paul's been on edge lately, especially since losing his brother, and this whole weekend trip is actually meant to celebrate his birthday. Then there's Matt and Owen, who only met three months ago, with Matt already convinced he's found the one and asking Owen to move in with him, while Owen just feels smothered and a little too loved for comfort. And finally there's Will and Adam, who aren't really a couple at all. They had a one night stand, and since Will the social worker has known Owen for years, he ends up tagging along for the trip too. Adam's still young and hasn't really settled into emotional or sexual commitment yet. When they're not busy picking each other apart, the group spends time wandering through the woods, making potato salad, or fussing over houseplants. Each pairing ends up facing some kind of reckoning, forced to be honest about things from both their recent and distant pasts, and over the course of this weekend of shifting partners, everyone starts figuring out what they actually need. Paul ends up announcing he's met someone new, and he and Ben split. Owen has a hookup with a stranger out in the woods, who then unexpectedly shows up back at the house, and it turns out he's the ex boyfriend of Paul's late brother. Adam tries pushing for a threesome with Will and Owen, but that doesn't pan out, and instead a heartbroken Ben ends up sleeping with Adam. The biggest twist comes down to who exactly Paul met at his brother's funeral and how that person ties into everything going on.
Look, nothing about this movie is particularly groundbreaking or unforgettable, but I'd bet you'll still spot moments in it that mirror something from your own life. Like I said, it captures pretty grounded, real situations that a lot of people actually deal with regularly. Sure, the production feels a bit rough around the edges, but you can tell the people making it had their hearts in the right place. It never tips into melodrama and mostly wraps things up in fairly agreeable ways, even if that resolution comes a bit fast. There's no sugarcoating anything here, no pretension, no unnecessary flourishes, and none of the usual stereotypical drag tropes either. The whole cast does a solid job with what they were given. And even though this is mostly a dialogue heavy film, it never feels like you're watching a stage play, which works in its favor. Each couple gets their own storyline and their own reasons for conflict, given just enough space for the audience to take it in, understand it, and appreciate it. I genuinely didn't see the reveal coming about who Paul actually ran into at his brother's funeral. It's not the flashiest film out there, but I still found it relevant and worth watching even after all these years. (6/10)
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