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Deeply Superficial is a shockingly modern comedic series merging Seinfeld and Queer as Folk when a gay man's midlife crisis makes him abandon all of his previous life goals. After being "gay married" for 24-year he gets "gay divorced" creating turmoil and uncertainty for his future.

Hoping to escape his emotionally turbulent past, Keith West launches an acting career, reenters the much changed dating world and starts therapy to discover his true self. Complicating his situation even more are his quirky, overbearing and emotionally challenged friends that make up his tribe. They all live or work in his Albuquerque version of Melrose Place.

Right after the divorce is official, Keith West looks around his space admiring his work. He's redecorated the house and invited the gang over to smoke out the demons of his past marriage with with sage and cedar. They all arrive to celebrate the newly single life of Keith and his daughter - a 70-pound potbelly pig named Priscilla, Pig of the Desert. The sage burns too much and the smoke forces them out of the house.

His best friends Harry and Stewart are a gay couple married for ten years that rent an apartment from Keith in the upstairs of the building. Keith's building also includes Keith's retail store and the space where he makes all the products sold in the store. But, after 30 years in the skincare business and thanks to his midlife crisis, Keith jumps into his teenage dream of being an actor.

Also near and dear to Keith is his talent agent and best girl friend Alexandra who is always trying to be the extra helpful, slightly pushy and very eccentric. All of Alexandra's world revolves around astrology and where the planets are located when a large decision is to be made.

During the party Keith shares the news that he has a "proper date" scheduled with a man coming over the next night so Keith can cook him dinner so they can share a nice quiet night. The gang is ecstatic.

Harry and Stewart remind the gang that their 10 year anniversary dinner is that night and they have dinner reservations at the first place they had their wedding reception.

Alexandra shares the news that her Agency is doing so great so she is going to renew her lease for her office and get the office next door to her.

For date night, Keith is cooking a bourbon, brown sugar crusted filet mignon roast, potatoes and a New Orleans' "WOP" salad. Using a meat thermometer he realizes the roast is very under cooked and dinner is in an hour. He bumps the oven up to 450 degrees to be sure the roast is crispy on the outside and medium rare on the inside. He's dressed for his date and talking to Priscilla about how important it is she be on her best behavior since not everyone understands pig mood swings.

The kitchen door swings open and in stomps Mom with luggage to Keith's complete surprise. She says she can't live with his sister anymore in Ohio and she is moving to New Mexico. Shocked but concerned Keith tries to get more of the story from Mom but is met with "I won't talk about it now. Where's my bedroom? I'm exhausted."

Harry and Stewart are all dressed up for their date but when they get there the restaurant is closed because of a health code violation. Harry blames Stewart. Stewart blames Harry for picking the place 10 years ago.

Alexandra meets with the landlord to sign her new lease. He brings up the fact that she has just signed his ex-wife to be an actress. Because of that, he refuses to lease to her and she has 30 days to get out.

Keith, trying to be kind to his Mom, offers to take her to the Hotel for the night so she can rest and he can have his date. After some banter she agrees. Now with just 30 minutes before his date arrives he dashes to take her to the hotel and get her checked in.

Being a Friday night and not having other dinner reservations Harry and Stewart decide to get Chinese takeout for their dinner and just spend the evening together.

Keith gets back to his house just as his date is walking up to the door. Just then the smoke detector goes off. As Keith opens the door, smoke billows out and they run in to see what is burning. Keith realizes he had the oven too high and dinner is burned. They open up the doors to let the smoke out. Keith and his date share a laugh over the ruined dinner but think they can just cut off the outer burned part of the roast.

In the kitchen door comes Alexandra crying just as Keith tries to cut the roast which is solid. Mom comes barging in the other door screaming that that can't stay at that hotel because it is haunted and in a scary neighborhood.

Everyone is cross talking just as Harry and Stewart come in to see what all the yelling is about. They stand in disbelief holding their bags of Chinese as Keith tries to introduce Mom to his date, calm Alexandra down, Alexandra talks about how amazing the haunted hotel is to Mom.

Keith sees Harry and Stewart standing there shocked at the chaos and he knocks the salad bowl off the counter.

Harry and Stewart have joined the gang and there is even more talking that can't be understood. Keith's date is the only one that looks very uncomfortable in the madness. Keith walks his date to the door and offers to reschedule, but he is told "looks like you have your hands full for a while, but thanks anyway." Keith closes the door and looks at the group exasperated.

All the while Priscilla is the happy one helping herself to the spilled salad.

Harry, Stewart, Mom, Alexandra and Keith are gathered around the kitchen island eating Chinese and drinking wine. They all realize how nice it is to spend time together. Harry & Stewart pitch the idea that Alexandra use the front storage rooms for an office since its right off the lobby.

Keith decides to convert the den into a suite for his mom while she stays there. Alexandra looks at her phone and realizes three planets are in retrograde right now and that's why the night went so wrong. Keith chimes in that maybe the night went so right.

The dessert Keith made is still intact so Keith puts candles on the cake to celebrate but they cause so much smoke the smoke alarm goes off again as we fade to black.

Angela L. Wilson, Vic Browder, Doug Montoya, and Keith Allen West in Deeply Superficial (2022)

Awards

Deeply Superficial

Queen Palm International Film Festival

Victory International Film Festival

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