My coverage of OutfestNext continues with filmmaker Gary Jaffe’s feature debut, Before I Do. I confess that I approached this film with great trepidation due to the fact that I am often allergic to the genre in which a bunch of people gather in one spot to air out their dirty laundry. Unless you’re Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? or perhaps more recently, The Invite, you can take your Love Valour Compassion and The Big Chill back to the bland, unholy Hell from whence you came! Ok, maybe The Breakfast Club can stay, but anything with an autumnal feel such as The Four Seasons gives me head to toe hives.
So, as the lights went down, I adjusted my seating position, preparing for 90 minute of squirming back and forth. A little part of me died inside as it opens with the beauty of Fall in The Berkshires. Please dear God not The Berkshires! I need a gritty Dog Day Afternoon palette cleanser stat! To make matters worse, in come a quintet of young gay men to a cozy little cabin to celebrate the pending marriage of John Michael (Cole Doman, The Mastermind) to David, who remains unseen throughout except in photos and a sexy early shot of his back. The host, Alex (Michael Hsu Rosen, so winning in The Sex Lives Of College Girls) has called off his own engagement and clearly keeps a flame alive for John Michael, who he used to date. Rounding out the pack, we have Luis (Robin de Jesus, The Boys In The Band), Simon (Jared Reinfeldt, A House Of Dynamite) and John Michael’s maybe straight friend Kit (Nico Greetham, Dramarama and a favorite of mine from So You Think You Can Dance).
And dammit, wouldn’t you know it, but the movie slowly but surely started to win me over. The characters took shape with an almost effortless quality, all conveying their histories, attractions, and inside jokes with such naturalness. While John Michael has an aching level of sadness about him, he’s also quite lovable. Alex, clearly on edge, can barely hide his affection for John Michael, while Luis remains the hilarious voice of reason. Simon, the wild card, can’t help but sexualize every situation he finds himself in, but he also has hidden depths. Finally Kit, a medical student, struggles to find his entry point within this group of gay men. When he comes out as bisexual, he’s instantly made to feel like an outsider newbie amongst these veterans. As they interact in their different permutations, I found myself caring more and more. Did I actually like something within a genre I loathe?
Yes, this film has its share of self-satisfied smugness, but it’s done with such charm and doesn’t overdo it. Case in point: A scene in which each of them dresses up as their favorite Meryl Streep characters gets casually tossed out there instead of turning into the usual ten minute musical number I’ve seen a thousand times in so many queer films.
I also found myself impressed that this micro-budget film got made in just a handful of days. Additionally, it has something to say about the fluidity of gay relationships in which one can sometimes go from romantic to platonic in the blink of an eye. Instead of dwelling on things, these characters seem to pay their excess baggage fees and move on. What a charming depiction of camaraderie. I enjoyed the performances across the board with each getting a standout moment such as the look in Doman’s eyes when describing his typical day, Rosen’s desperate pleading with the person he loves, Reinfeldt’s insanely funny attempt to seduce one of the other men, de Jesus’ look he gives when getting one over on another, and Greetham’s lashing out at everyone for their seeming lack of a moral compass.
If I were to nitpick, and, well…that’s my brand!…I thought the needle drops could have been used more sparingly despite each one having a bright, poppy feel. I also did wonder if these young twenty-somethings would have such a deep awareness of Meryl Streep’s filmography, but hey, they’re smart and funny people. Who am I to say that they didn’t read up on the greatest living actor of our time? All are minor quibbles for a film which made me feel so good. I look forward to seeing what they all do next, but please, no more beautifully changing Fall leaves, ok?
By Glenn Gaylord, Senior Film Critic
Before I Do screened at OutfestNext Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival on Friday, July 24th and Saturday, July 25th, 2026. For more on the film and updates on future screenings go follow on Instagram @beforeidofilm.
For more film reviews by Glenn Gaylord subscribe to his YouTube channel here ——> GLENN HATES EVERYTHING
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