That's Not Us

Three couples—one lesbian, one straight, one gay—embark on a weekend getaway from New York City to Fire Island, and the rifts that have been quietly developing between various lovers finally explode into the open. As these friends vacation during the offseason (a nice metaphor for the post-honeymoon-phase that all of the couples are experiencing), tensions build in the absence of big-city distractions. Jackie (Nicole Pursell) and Alex (Sarah Wharton) have entered a sexless phase in their relationship, a reflection of broken communication. Liz (Elizabeth Gray) and James (Mark Berger) are at a crisis point where they are having trouble revealing their vulnerability to one another. And Dougie (Tommy Nelms) and Spencer (David Rysdahl) are facing a potentially life-altering situation when the former is accepted into an elite post-graduate school in Chicago. Filmmaker William Sullivan reportedly worked with the actors to improvise many of the scenes, bringing an authenticity to the characters and their problems. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include deleted and extended scenes (14 min.), a “Film Festival” featurette (12 min.), an “Improv on Film” featurette (2 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine character-driven film.] (T. Keogh)