Parents' Guide to Together Together

Up-and-coming filmmaker Nikole Beckwith's comedy should be recognized for its cinematic progressiveness, even if it's somewhat lacking as a piece of entertainment. Diversity is realized in unexpectedly wonderful ways in Together Together, which offers representations that feel more authentic than those usually seen in mainstream movies and TV shows. Imagine the impact it might have if more movies showed men worrying about their biological clocks and taking active steps to start a family. That's not an uncommon experience; it only feels that way because we so rarely see it portrayed that way in pop culture. Helms brings it all to life in a believably real manner. Matt made his money in tech, but he's not a gazillionaire. He was in a relationship for eight years, and then it ended. No one was awful, no one cheated, and he doesn't have angry feelings to process; it just didn't work out. This, too, is a responsible message to put into the world: You don't have to put all your eggs (in this case, almost literally) in the available basket if you know it's not right.

The film's comedy lies in the discomfort of the situation. Some moments are cringey, but Matt and Anna are both uneasy in their own skin and not entirely sure of their life's path. So they take bold actions to ensure that they achieve one big thing they really want. For Matt, that's a family. For Anna, it's a better future. Once you get past the story's reliance on nervous laughter, Matt and Anna's quirky but authentic relationship starts to warm your soul. Their characters are so well developed that their journey and boundary-crossing moments ring true, like Anna spending the night at Matt's so he can feel her belly in the middle of the night. All of that said, the ending may leave you feeling shortchanged. No doubt, it's part of Beckwith's storytelling strategy, but it's still unfulfillling.