THE STORY – A lakeside bachelor party weekend devolves into chaos when the groom, John Michael, and his best man, Alex, find their past romantic feelings reigniting. Their chemistry entangles the entire wedding party in pre-wedding drama, including friends Luís, Simon, and the newly out and bisexual Kit.
THE CAST – Michael Hsu Rosen, Cole Doman, Nico Greetham, Jared Reinfeldt & Robin de Jesus
THE TEAM – Gary Jaffe (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 87 Minutes
Alex (Michael Hsu Rosen) thought he was over his ex, John Michael (Cole Doman), but then the bastard had to go and rescue him from a toxic relationship with a music producer. John Michael was so worried about Alex that he flew from the East CoastEast Coast to California not long before his own wedding. Now, the old feelings are back, making Alex’s role as John Michael’s best man pretty awkward. Joining them for a bachelor-party weekend in the woods, their college besties Simon (Jared Reinfeldt) and Luis (Robin de Jesus) can’t wait for sparks to fly. Into this charged mix drops Kit (Nico Greetham), John Michael’s best friend since childhood, who just so happens to have recently come out as bisexual. Just how many sparks will fly this weekend? And will any of them set fire to the rain?
When you assemble an ensemble as strong as Gary Jaffe has for his debut feature “Before I Do,” you don’t need much else. Each of the five cast members are strong individually, but their chemistry together elevates Jaffe’s alternately intimate and hilarious screenplay. Each character gets at least one big moment, giving everyone a chance to dig deep and show plenty of personality. The characters appear as stereotypes at first, Simon’s the sex-forward himbo, Luis the sassy elder, etc., but gain depth the longer we spend with them, much like making new friends, which is appropriate, since between the warm, closely observed screenplay and the vibrant performances, watching “Before I Do” really does feel like being welcomed into a new friend group.
And what a group they are! Each one is unique and lovable in their way. The focus is on the will-they/wont-they of Alex and John Michael, and even though their characters don’t pop as much as the others, Doman and Hsu Rosen make for a pretty dreamy pairing. Each brings out such sweetness in the other, and they both make it clear that while they aren’t exactly performing in front of the others, they feel more comfortable with just each other. De Jesus, as always, steals the film whenever he’s onscreen, with line readings sharpened to a fine point. Reinfeldt’s disarming innocence makes him a fantastic foil for everyone in the group, bringing a unique take on a familiar character type. As the group outsider, Greetham has an appealing affability that makes his faux pas as a newly-out bisexual even funnier. Together, they’re a charming group, and their endearing antics make them relatable to any adult gay man; suffice it to say that from now on, gay culture is identifying as the Meryl Streep character you are closest to, then doing karaoke in drag as that character.
It’s not all camp and quirk, though. Jaffe’s screenplay captures the rhythms of life: how different people bring out different sides of you, how certain people will always have a hold on you, and how group dynamics change both in the short and long term, not to mention how friendship can turn sexual or romantic. This makes the film feel true to life even in its more obviously scripted moments. Thankfully, those moments have an appealing simplicity to them, never reaching for clever words even when the situation stretches credulity. The autumnal cinematography and covetable clothes contribute to the film’s enjoyably low-key vibes, creating a warm and cozy hangout movie that only gets better the more friends you watch it with. For gay men, “Before I Do” offers a perfect (if idealized) vision of ourselves and our friend groups; for everyone else, it’s a highly enjoyable, low-stakes dramedy with some swoony romance sprinkled on top. Much like Alex’s earworm original pop song, “Can’t Stop Dancing With You,” it’s too simply pleasurable to watch to not keep hitting repeat.
