F.L.Y.

I had the benefit of seeing this film at Outfest '23 with a theater full of people who were super responsive both to the film and to the personal stories of the people who made it--so I'm a bit biased in my review--but there's no question that this film has undeniable heart and speaks for audiences everywhere who are underrepresented by mainstream Hollywood.

This film dares to tackle the topic of love during Covid lockdown in a fresh and non-cringe way, with characters who might be reduced to stereotypes in a big studio production rendered here with obvious love and truth. For a story about people confined to their homes it goes places you wouldn't expect. It's also kind of meta. The filmmakers called this film a romantic comedy and while it's quite funny I think it's deeper emotionally than that. This is more a slice of life from people who have really lived that life, and you can feel it hasn't been easy for them. The acting is surprisingly strong for a film with a tiny budget, especially the actor who plays Rafael, and it's even more impressive when you consider the two lead actors also wrote and directed it. That is really hard to do on your first feature.

That said, as a first outing it does have a couple rough edges: the cinematography isn't flashy and the story might try to wrap up a few too many loose ends, but the performances are so charming that I didn't really mind. Everything is elevated by a musical score which hits just the right notes tonally, and sure-handed editing which helps the film transcend its low budget limitations.

This is a film which brings people together and bonds them over a shared experience, so I would recommend seeing it with friends if you get a chance. As I said, I'm a bit biased because I learned the story of the filmmakers while I watched it--but after you watch it you might be biased too.

It's not often that one finds a work of LGBTQ+ cinema that intentionally (and successfully) incorporates material related to personal growth and development, especially within the unlikely context of a romantic comedy-drama. However, actor-writer-directors Trent Kendrick and Rafael Albarran have done just that in their debut feature about two former partners (Kendrick and Albarran) whose envisaged brief reunion after many years apart suddenly and unexpectedly thrusts them together into an exercise in quarantining in place at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their unplanned cohabitation leads to both a look back and a look forward as they jointly and individually review where they were and now where they're going in their respective new lives. That experience subsequently prompts considerable soul searching as they each seek to come to terms with their true selves as individuals and what that may hold for the future, both for themselves and in relation to one another. In the process, they experience a variety of shifts in perspective as they come to discover themselves, often aided by an array of colorful supporting players from their present and past. And their odyssey is further fueled by a wide range of unusual and often-hilarious experiences, some related to the pandemic, some related to gay life, some tied to the world of drag and gender identity, some based on individual aspirations, and some reflected through recollections shown in flashbacks. The result is an appealing, heartwarming slice of life tale that combines all of the foregoing diverse narrative elements. Admittedly, there are times when these story components don't always mesh quite as effectively as they might have, and the picture tends to get stretched out a little too much in the final act. But, generally speaking, these varied aspects harmonize well, providing a tale unlike what's typically found in most LGBTQ+ or personal growth-oriented film offerings, an outcome that gay community members who have undergone their share of experiences of disappointment, disempowerment and heartbreak will find personally inspiring. And that point is nicely driven home when the acronym that accounts for this release's title is at last explained (an uplifting notion that I won't spoil by unduly revealing it here). "F. L. Y." is an impressive debut from this writing and directorial duo, something that we can hope we'll see more of in future projects.

Start to finish FLY feels all genuine. You can definitely listen to all it has to say so loud and clear it's hard not to pay attention. The characters aren't stereotypes and that was very refreshing, because I could see them portraying a complex actuality and not a romanticized version of life. It was very easy for me to identify myself with the struggles and reactions to LGBTQ+ community related issues that the movie taps into, but also with the worldwide context that the movie is situated on. It made me laugh and almost sob. The writer definitely managed to turn all classic rom-com clichés into heartfelt genuine moments that makes it easy for anyone to see themselves into even if they're straight. And the ending made me feel both uplifted but grounded somehow. I definitely would recommend this movie, it's an all queer movie for everyone.

Such a fun film! A beautifully fun camp experience revisiting lockdown, while also making room to draw a few tears. This film has a great representation of today's dating culture too. The film highlights so many realms of love, and the different relationships throughout giving this unconventional and divergent love story an adorable perspective to unconventional relationship dynamics not seen represented in mainstream film. I fell in love with the characters. The chemistry between them was amazing <3 Definitely a great movie to revisit and rewatch. Hopefully will be available to stream soon!!!

Who would have thought that a truly queer film by queer filmmakers would actually have something relevant to say and say it in a genuinely heartfelt and humorous manner. This film does just that without being cloying or pretentious or stereotypical. I was actually interested in the characters. Kudos to the directors for making a film that looked much more expensively made than it actually was. The actors all showed great range and comfort with their characters making the viewing even more enjoyable. The final shot of the movie is rather spectacular and could easily have been in a great Spielberg movie. I hope to see more work from the two directors/actors.