20 year old Paul comes to Pittsburg, natively thinking that his half-sister will provide him with a place to stay. Reality soon sets in when a guy called Lee saves him from getting beaten up in a subway ride. The two become friends. Lee helps him with getting a bed in a hostel and a job with what turns out to be an aggressive bailiff crew removing people’s possessions. Through one of the guy sin the hostel, Paul meets Wye, a charming dancer who is active in the New York vogue ballroom scene. Paul, inexplicable falls for Wye and pursues her. Its only when later he finds out that Wye is actually a trans female, he needs to fight with his own demons. He felt betrayed fo not being told the truth to which Wye wonders how can Paul be this naiive. Paul is desperate for love and family and he feels he can get all that with Wye and there starts him lying about his job, his family and other stuff to not just Wye but also to his friend Lee. Paul does get some love in the house that Wye lives from her brothers but when she realizes that Paul has been lying all along, she doesn't want to have anything to do with him. Soon an incident occurs which will make Paul take a decision on what and whom his loyalties really lie with.
There is both good and bad in this film. As an actor, Paul is absolutely amazing and central to the whole story and the real life trans actor playing Wye is also fabulous. But we really don't get to see what is it that's going on in Paul's head. Why is he lying about family and job to Wye when he clearly likes and loves her. Is Paul interested in the ballroom scene or just Wye and what makes him wanna be friends with the hotel twink practicing his dance. And you know given the job situation that Paul has and the fact that Wye's landlord keeps troubling them, sooner or later their paths are going to cross but it happens in a very unexpected way. We have seen the ball scene of NYC quite recently in Pose, which is what has made it really popular but the director gives her own interpretation in this film. The drama is handled all in a very subtle way. Wye's character as a loving individual and someone who is not ready to take shot from anyone was one really well, but eventually its the honesty and reality of Paul that stays back with you intros film. The ending is a bit weird, IMO, where Paul is shown to interview to join the house that Wye is a part of, which didn't make much sense.
The film is a sincere effort in showing an elegant queer romance, but overall, to me, the film felt a bit scrappy. (5.5/10)
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