Steven Peters

This film took me on a ride of emotions that I haven't felt in a long time. The script, the characters, the score, and the cinematography were all exceptionally well crafted and shows what good filmmaking can be. As someone who can very much relate to how it feels when our heart wants what it wants only to have ourselves refuse it because of what society says is acceptable or not. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like living in the 50s as a gay person and having to look over your shoulder at every turn because of the repercussions that would ensue should anyone find out about that little secret. This movie encapsulates how it feels when we don't allow ourselves to be the authentic person we know ourselves to be, and by not being honest with others because of what they may think of us, or the stories we make up in our minds of how those around us may not accept us, and flat-out might not want us in their lives any longer. Too often, the latter is the case with gay men and women, especially gay youth being disowned by their parents and thrown out on the streets for disclosing their sexuality. The fear is real and it's frightening to think that those who love you would turn their back on you. There are risks either way. But, the benefit of coming out is worth the risk IMHO because there is nothing that compares to living an authentic life free from the constraints that we, and society, puts on us as LGBTQ+ people. The film's nuance brilliantly shows how deceit, stigma, and fear of coming out in the 1950s could inadvertently hurt the people in our lives; its ripple effects are far-reaching. Back then, many gay men married because it was expected. Too few had the opportunities and acceptance we have now and they regrettably chose to live a 'straight' life because anything other than the societal norm was met with physical violence, imprisonment, and even death. If only those in the closet and society (especially right-wing conservatives) could push away the outside noise, and embrace the absolute truth that love is love, no matter the gender. I sobbed at the end because of the many years lost that could have been spent feeling loved. It was tragic but beautiful after the main three characters lies and heartbreak were able to redeem what was once seemingly lost entirely. All three were finally free to live life in the way that they could have had from the beginning if only the circumstances were different. The wife's selfless decision in the end, although decades passed, gave each a chance to begin to love again. Here indeed, a love that once could never be, at long last found its home again.