My Review of Things Like These (2025)

 

Written And Directed by Max Talisman

Zack A: "I like you and I'm trying so hard not to."

Zack M: "Yeah, that's what liking someone is like. It's terrifying. All you wanna do is run."

Sometimes you hear about a movie being so bad that morbid curiosity will take over and you've got to watch it. That's partly why I chose to watch this one last night. I'd love to say that the reputation wasn't deserved but I'd be lying.

First things first and because I try to be fair, I will give writer, director and lead actor Max Talisman props for trying to tell a slightly different gay romance. Saying that, he should've put his business hat on here and not cast himself as one of the leads. This movie would've benefitted from a more experienced actor in the role.

Anyways our writer and director cast himself as Zack Anthony. He's a fat guy (something which the movie isn't shy about mentioning) who's also an aspiring writer of vampire fiction. This film opened up with him getting dumped by Ben (James Leone). The latter isn't just repulsed by Zack's physical appearance but his personality in general.

Zack A's personality in general definitely would be one of the biggest problems with the movie. In some ways, we're clearly meant to find his bluntness more charming but oftentimes, it did come across as far too rude. Fortunately, Zack A did manage to temper some of that attitude upon meeting the love of his life.

Yup, this was where Zack Mandel (Joey Pollari) aka Zack M factored into things. Zack M quickly ditched his boyfriend of two years Eric (Taylor Trensch) in order to hook up with Zack A. Slightly stretching credulity a tad it turned out that both Zacks met at a summer camp fifteen years prior and were each others first kisses. Also both mens penchant for self sabotage provided some moderate tension before the big finale reunion at a high school prom.

Yeah, there's a lot of contrivances and sitcom/romcom style tropes that alternate between kind of endearing and rather annoying at times. Zack M's friend Ava (Jackie Cruz), boss Margie (Cara Bueno) and father Paul (Eric Roberts) are a mixed bag of characters. Saying that, Ava can be thanked/blamed for reuniting the Zacks. Zack A's friends get some focus as well but seem slightly less drawn out.

- Zack A's book was called Undeath In The Family. He got a publishing deal while Zack M got fired and decided to set up his own talent agency.

- Zack A made a point about hating actresses but didn't mind his straight actor friend, Peter (Danny Chavarriago). Willem Belli also had a brief cameo appearance.

- Standout music: There's a decent cover version of Linger during the prom scene.

- Chronology: Alternates between New York and Jersey, over the course of week during the winter.

I will give Things Like These points for effort and for trying something a little different in the gay romcom genre. I think there's a lot of gay men who are similar to Zack A and wanting to find their Zack M. I just wish the chemistry with Max Talisman and Joey Pollari was there but sadly it's desperately lacking.

Rating: 5 out of 10