Fire Island

Winning performances by Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang, as two friends with very different takes on love and relationships, enrich this ensemble romcom about a group of gay buddies celebrating what might be their last summer vacation to the long-time party destination of Fire Island. The narrative conforms loosely around the basic beats of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Emma. Though the script abandons that structure as often as it emulates it, it frequently still manages to feel awkwardly beholden to Austen, which is at odds with its otherwise irreverent tone. Many of the supporting characters are painted as less than delightful, yet the film seems to judge those who might judge them. Many of the subplots are underdeveloped and too easily resolved. If you read these flaws and this film as a meta-commentary on the romcom from a gay writer and gay director taking charge of the cliches of a genre that nearly always relegates people from their community to background, side-kick, or comic relief roles, you will cheer. If you read this as a missed opportunity to transcend cliches and tropes, you'll shrug. The film is at its best when it slows down to spend time with its two leads together, where we can experience them as individuals rather than character types.