Movie Review: Things Like This

This millennium has seen the romcom genre branch out to include ever more diverse characters and viewpoints with great success. It may not be the box office draw that it once was, but the shift to streaming and the smaller budgets that usually go with it seems to have allowed for greater experimentation and ensured that more voices are able to see their stories reach a wide audience. Writer, director, and star Max Talisman’s Things Like This is a great example, that takes a relatively standard genre plot and molds it to fit his point of view. Will the outcome surprise anyone? No. Will it charm them? Yes.

Zack Anthony (Talisman) is struggling to get his vampire novel off the ground. His larger size puts him outside of what the gay community would consider conventionally attractive, but nevertheless he has an ongoing fling with a buff jock. Or he did, being unceremoniously dumped by him in the movie’s opening minutes. His friends drag him out to an acting showcase where he encounters Zack Mandel (Joey Pollari) and feels an instant connection. The two begin seeing each other and their feelings quickly grow stronger, even more so when they discover a past connection. This being a romcom however, things can’t be that simple, and we have to watch and see if they can make it work.

Anyone who has ever seen one of these movies will easily guess how it all turns out, as well as much of what happens on the way there, but it won’t matter as Talisman’s script works its charms on you. The requisite third act separation is made more believable by being caused by some of the very real fears that societal treatment over the years has led some in the queer community to feel about love rather than some contrived nonsense, though that doesn’t completely negate the disappointment one feels when the overused trope appears.

Talisman is believably charming in the lead, despite his sometimes-caustic wit, and he shares genuine chemistry with Pollari. Their pairing may not look like what we usually see on screen, but it makes for a refreshing change and the pair completely sell it. The supporting cast of friends and family are also far better actors than we typically get in movies with such a low budget, so it’s a shame we don’t get to spend more time with them. This seriously could have worked as an ensemble comedy series and it’s hard not to be left wanting more of this group.

Things Like This continues the welcome trend of queer cinema that doesn’t wallow in misery, so it would have been nice if it eschewed more of the standard romcom tropes as well. But this is still a winning, surprisingly funny, and lovingly made little film. Talisman’s accomplished debut feature will likely win a lot of fans among genre aficionados, as well as anyone in need of a little joy. ★★★½