FILM INFO: Peter, lives with his partner of sixty years, Douglas. Both in their eighties. They reflect on their age and changing relationship. Along with friends, they offer an intimate view into how old age affects their lives.
WRITTEN BY: Andrea Niada DIRECTED BY: Andrea Niada GENRE: Doc TIME: 33 Minutes.
To be completely blunt, about 90 percent of the narrow-minded people of the world will read the description and pass on this one. Simply because this is a story of a gay couple. Being equally blunt, it's their loss. Like a lot of things during their lifetime, these small minded people will miss out on a great film. "How We Are Now" will become one of "those" regrets by anyone who loves a good, true story, told by way of a documentary film. Writer / Director Andrea Niada presents to us an up close and personal look at two men who have literally been there and done that. For me, the heart of this film is not so much the men themselves, rather the story that hides just under the surface of these two life long partners. This is both a happy and scary story considering the less than forgiving times of yesteryear. To think of the life these men have lived is an amazingly inspiring thing. To wonder what comes next as we age, and know you'll soon be able to relate to these two gentlemen, is something to think about. It's an interesting and scary notion indeed, for most of us anyhow. As I wrote above, for me, "How We Are Now" is more about a life lived rather than the folks who lived it. However, I'd be lying if I wrote that Peter and Doug taking the lead hasn't made this film that much more interesting. The technical side of "How We Are Now" is pretty standard fare. What you'd expect from a documentary is just what you'll get here. Everything from the lensing of the film and the the audio, continuing onward with a standard yet oddly elegant edit, this film delivers just what you expect it to. The focal point of this movie is not to outshine the characters with flashy production work, rather compliment the story using a familiar style. In this respect, "How We Are Now" not only does the trick, it does it quite well. If you're looking for action and adventure, and a load of pizazz, you won't find it here. This is the story of two people who can, and will become any one of us eventually. My only real complaint was that so much more could have been done. A deeper look into the histories and a slightly less focused look on the present, would have been simply outstanding. I would have loved to have learned more about Peter and Doug... the stories they must have! One of the most unsettling lines from the film, for me, was the response to what should have been a prepared answer. "What do you think of the last 83 years?" When asked that very question, the answer was humorous, yet bordered on being very sad. Why not find out the answer for yourself and watch this one. -JT
