Based on a true love story, Spoiler Alert, about two men who fall in love and deal with a cancer diagnosis, is a sweet and meaningful film that feels like real life.
I always enjoy when a movie begins with the end. When you immediately know the destination, so the entire film is all about how you’re going to get there. Even in Hamilton, you learn right away (if you didn’t know before) that Burr is the man that shot him. But what could have possibly happened to land them where they found themselves? It’s intriguing and it leaves you curious right from the first moments.
Spoiler Alert is about awkward and shy Michael, a writer for TV Guide magazine, who goes to a nightclub at the behest of a coworker and meets photographer Kit. They get to know each other and develop a serious, committed, and sometimes complicated relationship for about 13 years before Kit is diagnosed with cancer.
This romantic comedy/drama starts off like so many others that you’ve seen. There’s the flirting scene, the intimate scene, the “let’s now talk about who we really are” scene, and the meet the parents scene. But there are a few things that make this movie unique.
First, the entire story is based on the real life memoir called Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies written by Michael Ausiello. And although it has clear moments of fiction, it all feels extremely authentic and real.
Second, Michael, who lost his parents when he was young, plays a television show in his head as if he is living in a ½ hour comedy (complete with laugh track). Each sibling and his mother are introduced (like at the beginning of the show Family Matters), and Michael is presented as the cute, chunky kid. This show of his ideal family “airs” multiple times and changes a bit depending on what he is going through.
This also leads to a question that I’ve found myself asking periodically for years, particularly in the tougher moments. What if this is all a dream and I’m going to wake up tomorrow? What if I’m living in a play or a show and they’re about to yell “cut?” I can’t be the only person who has wondered this, even if I know that it isn’t true, so this touched me.
Third, there are some great scenes that are similar in nature to other things, but they also feel unique to this story. There is one section where Michael is helping boyfriend Kit in the hospital (fairly early in their relationship), and it is Michael’s job to contact Kit’s parents, who do not know that Kit is gay. After much hovering and because of Michael’s awkwardness, Kit’s mom exasperatedly asks, “Who is this guy??”
I did find the first hour and half fairly standard, enjoyable, and something I could lightly invest in. But the last half hour got me. There is a beautiful scene between the men at the beach where they bare their souls to each other. It hit me hard and I realized that I was connecting to it the way that I got choked up by Beaches years ago. It is a gorgeous moment that had an intense effect on how I will remember this film.
Starring Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, and Sally Field, Spoiler Alert is based on a real love story that deserved to be told. I’m so glad it was and I think you’ll enjoy it.
Runtime: 112 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Yes, I got choked up
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I always enjoy when a movie begins with the end. When you immediately know the destination, so the entire film is all about how you’re going to get there. Even in Hamilton, you learn right away (if you didn’t know before) that Burr is the man that shot him. But what could have possibly happened to land them where they found themselves? It’s intriguing and it leaves you curious right from the first moments.
