Straight Up

Straight Up is a 2019 independent film written, produced and directed by James Sweeney. Sweeney stars in the film with Katie Findlay, Dana Drori, James Scully, Tracie Thoms, Betsy Brandt and Randall Park. The film premiered at the Outfest on July 23, 2019. The film was released in a limited release by Strand Releasing on February 28, 2020. Plot Todd, a twenty-something man from Los Angeles with OCD, has difficulty in his romantic relationships as he has a strong aversion to bodily fluids. He likes the men he dates, but aside from an attempt at oral sex, he has never had penetrative sex with them. Eventually he decides to try dating women, and attempts to hook up with a girl after getting drunk with her but freaks out when her hymen breaks. His psychoanalyst wonders if this exploration of sexuality is a good idea, but Todd fears being alone and resolves to continue trying. He soon meets Rory, a struggling actress who has trouble emotionally connecting with others, in the self-help section of a library. They immediately take a liking to each other, as they both have the same eccentric sense of humor. They later spend hours talking and connecting with each other. Rory quickly moves in with Todd and joins him on his various house-sitting jobs. Todd's friends oppose his relationship with Rory as they view it as a manifestation of Todd's internalized homophobia, and frequently undermine the validity of their relationship. Rory agrees to pursue a romantic relationship with him—though sex is off the table. After Todd introduces Rory to his parents, he worries that they might like him more because he's now dating a woman.