Relationships live and die in those unspoken moments — when you're not saying what you mean or you avoid speaking your feelings altogether. That's what That's Not Us concerns itself with. It's an intelligent relationship drama that feels mature. One that understands its characters and the audience it's speaking to. Even more than that, it portrays LGBT couples in a way that they aren't often portrayed in movies — as normal couples working through their issues.
While the set-up doesn't seem too far off from other movies, That's Not Us sets itself apart by being almost entirely improvised. Director William Sullivan devised outlines of the plot and put it on the actors to build dialogue around it. Sometimes it sounds awkward and cliched with lines like “just tell me how you fucking feel” coming up more than once. However, it feels natural still. Conversation isn't limited to the mundane. In fact, when passion arises, arguments can become poetic.
That's Not Us isn't a perfect movie. The characters at some points fall into cliches and the Dougie storyline doesn't really add up as well as the other two. However, for anyone who has been in a long-term relationship, there is a degree of familiarity. Scarily so at some points. That's Not Us touches on that period of transition between honeymoon and understanding in a relationship. For a feature with no clear scripts and micro-budget, it's an impressive feat and definitely one of Netflix's hidden gems.
That's Not Us is available for streaming on Netflix or Digital HD on Amazon!
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