In this sweet and enlightening documentary, filmmakers Amy Geller and Allie Humenuk spend three years following gay married couple Erik and Sandro as they become parents to two daughters birthed by Erik's longtime friend, Rachel, who acted as a surrogate mother. Fortysomething Rachel, the mom of three teenage kids of her own, takes a loving and philosophical approach to her all-important role in the aspirations of Erik and Sandro. And her husband and children seem comfortable with the nontraditional arrangement, which is a big plus since the two families become closer and are linked by more than the little girls. Geller and Humenuk spend the majority of the film shooting domestic scenes of Erik, a psychotherapist, and Sandro, a writer and Italian immigrant, as they transition from being a couple to becoming the parents of one and then two kids. The two men fall into individual roles that appear to be well-suited, with Sandro displaying nurturance that seems to come naturally. An engaging look at two modern families, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
The Guys Next Door
(2017) 74 min. DVD: $59.95 ($299 w/PPR from edu.passionriver.com). Passion River (avail. from most distributors). Volume 32, Issue 5
The Guys Next Door
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