They/Them/Us

source: They/Them/Us

This well-acted, well-directed, and well-scripted romp through the minefield of blended families and mildly kinky sex will have you smiling and feeling good for ... 90 minutes. You heard me: not three hours, not two hours, but 90 concise minutes. Unlike all that caped tripe where the world is being saved from one idiotic peril after another, this indie film gets to the point and is made for ... gasp ... grown-ups. The one-star reviews were clearly produced by people who were having a hemorrhoidal flare-up that day, and the ten-star people were involved in the making of; the truth is north of five stars, though. They/them/us is a perfectly safe, modern take on the family that will entertain any adult of any persuasion, and may even delight their teenage kids. A solid seven.

This is a small budget movie, and that is not a bad thing, but it also means that the story and the acting have to be good. The actors, everyone of them, deliver. Joey Slotnick had plenty of opportunities to make his character absolutely ridiculous. Instead he hits precisely the right balance of smart, funny, awkward, caring, and lost that most of us feel in our own lives. Sometimes he gets it right, sometimes he gets it wrong, and sometimes he just can't win. But you like him and you root for him. Amy Hargreaves is amazing, as well. She provides an extremely nuanced performance as Lisa, portraying her as highly competent in many areas of her life and less confident in others. Sometimes placing her needs (and her kink) on the back burner in order to preserve her relationship and her family. To sum up her character and performance in a word, it has to be charming. I think all of the actors portraying the kids have bright futures ahead, because every one of them nailed it. As far as story, the film either needed another ten or fifteen minutes or a subplot cut. While billed as a comedy, there are some pretty heavy dramatic moments. Having said that, the script was well written and the story is complex without being overly opaque. There are some very funny moments in this film, so it deserves the comedy tag, but dramedy might be a better description. Now we come to the kinky bits. This was refreshingly realistic. Most people into kink have jobs, families, bills to pay, and the normal headaches of living. This film does a nice job of showing that. They have fun with kink and kinksters while also respecting it, so kudos for that. All in all, I really liked this film. It was nice to watch a film that was actually shot in reality and not crammed with CGI. If you are from the Columbus, OH area, you'll probably have a lot of fun recognizing the locations. The acting was great and the story was very good. Worth your time.

I laughed, cried and most of all.... Related....to the characters in this film as their story unfolded. Difficulties of divorce after 40 (that your teens blame you for), finding a relationship and deciding together to blend a family of 4 teens.(each with their own issues), pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to explore your sexuality because you care about your partner and putting family first were all touched on. All these very relevant issues in today's life were presented with the right touches of humor, laughs and seriousness!!! I would say this is a film definitely for adults. Ohhh....and I think The Kink Community (which was portrayed accurately and realistically!) will love it!! Kudos to Director Jon Sherman and his partner and co-writer Melissa Vogley-Woods.

Slow, awkward, and felt disjointed. Alot going on and the scenes simply do not connect together. People are being encouraged to come here and give this movie the best rating no matter what. That the low ratings are from the "radical right". I'm not going to blindly review. I decided to watch it and see for myself before I reviewed it. The movie does not deserve the best rating. It was an okay movie. Artificial high reviews are not going to change that.

This movie hits all the marks, it had me laughing, crying, and everything in between. A candid and hilarious story grounded in real life with characters that speak to emotional phases in all stages of life. It highlights to the adventure inherent in raising teenagers, finding love after a first marriage ends, and following an artistic life, all while fumbling along the way and laughing at the absurdity these circumstances can create.

Finally...Hollywood has a realistic version of what a real mid-western blended family looks like. Director Jon Sherman along with his partner and co-writer Melissa Vogley-Woods bring to life an amazing Rom-Com that explores what it means to create a new family, with all the joys and challenges that come along with it. All families have issues and this family is no different. They have a son who is headed for rehab, a daughter who is gender fluid, and two other daughters who are dealing with being the children of separated parents. Plus there is the added strain on the kids of their parents new romantic partners coming into their lives. The movie also does an incredible job of showing the BDSM Community as it really is...a diverse amalgam of folks from all walks of life who choose to explore and express their sexuality creatively, spiritually, and of course kinkily. This is not a Shades of Grey or Eyes Wide Shut version of BDSM. Amy Hargraves and Joey Slotnick show the humanity and vulnerability of normal people open to discovering new parts of their sexuality with their partners. This film is filled with rawness and humor and most of all realness. I appreciate the story they tell and the way they tell it. Kudos to Jon and Melissa for writing such a wonderful screenplay and a round of applause to the actors who it brought it to life.

Super annoying. Would have been way better without every character calling everyone else 'you guys'. Filmmakers who think that little of the audience need to find another profession. Would have been way better without every character calling everyone else 'you guys'. Filmmakers who think that little of the audience need to find another profession. Would have been way better without every character calling everyone else 'you guys'. Filmmakers who think that little of the audience need to find another profession. Would have been way better without every character calling everyone else 'you guys'.

I seldom write reviews until I see so many 10/10 reviews just can't hold my anger anymore. Single parents with kinky interests met and bring their kids together. Go to kinky club and leave the kids alone with weed left behind. Selfish irresponsible jerks I seen. And the worst is, which parts n lines are laughable ? Come on.....

One of those movies where you ask yourself after watching it, "Why was it made?" It's not even funny, it's just stupid. Dumb script and characters that aren't appealing. Don't waste your time.