Single All the Way

I should preface this review by stating that I am a sucker for Romantic Comedies, especially ones set around the holidays. So naturally, I was excited for Single All the Way, which stacked it's deck in my favor in so many ways that is was practically guaranteed that I would love it and, no surprise, I did. 

Peter (played by Michael Urie) has a successful life living in Los Angeles as a photographer and shares and apartment with his best friend Nick (played by Philemon Chambers) and Nick's dog Emmett. When he breaks up with his boyfriend and finds himself faced with another Christmas home for the holidays as the single guncle, Peter suggests Nick accompany him home and pose as his boyfriend. His family already knows and loves Nick and it would help deflect all the prying from his well meaning family. Nick hesitantly agrees and they're off to Nick's family home in New Hampshire, where they are greeted by his mother, Carole (played by Kathy Najimy) and father, Harold (played by Barry Bostwick). To his surprise, he discovers his mother has set him up on a blind date for the holidays with someone she met at her gym, James (played by Luke Macfarlane). Peter begrudgingly agrees to go through with it and to his surprise, the two hit it off well enough and agree to a second date. On the other hand, Harold always felt Peter was a better match with Nick and admits as much to Nick. Likewise, seeing Peter hit it off with someone has Nick re-evaluating his feelings for Peter. Deciding to do some meddling of their own, Harold, Nick's sister Lisa (played by Jennifer Robertson) and Peter's nieces Sofia and Daniella (played by Alexandra Beaton and Madison Brydges) conspire to get Peter and Nick to spend as much time together, volunteering them both to help with the local Christmas pageant that is put on every year by their eccentric Aunt Sandy (played by Jennifer Coolidge).   

The film was directed by Michael Mayer from a script by Chad Hodge. Like most romantic comedies, the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion, so the thrill is in getting to that ending and in that regard, Mayer and Hodge have created a warm and delightful holiday Rom-Com that manages to feel fresh even while operating within a familiar setup. It helps that the film is refreshingly free of any sort of homophobia or angst that usually accompany gay-centric films. Instead, the film focuses on the developing love triangle between Peter, Nick and James as well as Peter finding himself with having to make a decision about his future: does he want to keep working in L.A when the warm embrace of home is suddenly feeling so enticing? And who can blame him when home is such a loving place full of delightfully colorful characters? Still, the film does have an undercurrent the subtly illustrates the complexities of gay life that adds some substance to the film beyond the frothy holiday cheer, perfectly exemplified when early in the film Peter is chewing out his latest boyfriend on the phone after discovering he's married - to a woman - and pausing to say "I won't judge whatever journey you're on, but just hope you don't do this to someone else!" acknowledging that not everyone feels they can be out of the closet. The film also touches on small town gay life versus big city as Peter and James discuss it over their first date.    

The film has an impressive cast led by Michael Urie as Peter. There is something so relatable and endearing about the way Michael Urie portrays Peter as he tries to navigate everything he's feeling and tries to decide what he wants to do. Philemon Chambers is equally charming as Nick, a children's book author who supplements his income working as a handyman. Chambers have a nice, easy-going chemistry that makes sense for two guys who have been friends for a long time. It also fits for two characters that may have deeper feelings for one another that they may not have initially realized. Luke Macfarlane strikes the right note as James. It would be so easy to fall into that common Rom-Com trap where the other potential love interest is so obviously a wrong match but in this case James is a wonderful and charming guy that under any other circumstances might be a great pairing for Peter. Of course, this plays perfectly into the plot of the rest of the movie as this new potential love for Peter finally forces Nick to realize his true feelings. Kathy Najimy is fun as Peter's well meaning mother, who can't help but meddle but always comes from a place of love and support. Likewise, Jennifer Robertson is a delight as Peter's sister Lisa, but then again I may be biased because I love her from her role as Jocelyn on Schitt's Creek. Likewise, gay fave Jennifer Coolidge manages to steal every scene she's in as Peter's crazy Aunt Sandy, who apparently has a similar gay following or so she attests. I also enjoyed Alexandra Beaton and Madison Brydges as Peter's nieces who are clearly Team Nick and actively join the shenanigans to make sure these two end up together.  

Much like last year's delightful The Christmas Setup, Single all the Way is a sweet and charming gay Holiday Rom-Com that is endearing without being cloying and while being a bit predictable finds ways to freshen things up a bit along the way. With a stacked cast of wonderful actors keeping things fun and entertaining and able direction from Michael Mayer and a script from Chad Hodge that knows how to play with genre conventions made this a fun and easy-going Holiday treat. When it comes to Christmas Rom-Coms, I couldn't ask for anything more. Movies like this are cinematic comfort food, best enjoyed cozied up with a mug of hot chocolate.