Before I Do

An engagement celebration is supposed to be a joyous, fun-filled occasion with family (however you define that) and friends. But what if the event is unwittingly based on less-than-truthful considerations, namely, the commemoration of an impending wedding to the wrong person? Indeed, how can the intended smile through lingering doubts that are hard to conceal? Such are the circumstances in play in this debut feature from writer-director Gary Jaffe, the tale of a weekend gathering to celebrate the upcoming same-sex marriage of John Michael (Cole Doman) to his fiancé, David (who’s not in attendance). The festivities take place at an idyllic lakeside cabin hosted by Alex (Michael Hsu Rosen), who just happens to be the groom’s former partner and who has himself only recently exited a bad engagement of his own. Also present are two of the former couple’s college friends, Luís (Robin de Jesús) and Simon (Jared Reinfeldt), and John Michael’s newly out bisexual childhood friend, Kit (Nico Greetham), who’s largely unknown to the other attendees. What makes this gathering less than festive, however, is the resurgence of old feelings between John Michael and Alex, a largely open secret that all the guests struggle to politely dance around while the former partners own up to their true emotions. The result is a charming, realistic romantic comedy that offers up plenty of great laughs, as well as an honest depiction of the complexities often found in relationships involving gay male couples. It frankly explores many of the cultural dynamics of the LGBTQ+ community and how they impact (or, more precisely, how they should unapologetically impact) such partnerships. And that’s what sets this offering apart from many other releases in this genre. Credit the smart, insightful writing, fine performances and superb chemistry among the ensemble for successfully bringing this to life. In fact, in many regards, the audacious honesty permeating this effort reminds me very much of the excel...