Best friends and neighbors David Leibowitz (Ben Berkowitz) and Jack Webster (Ben Redgrave) move in together after being dumped by their girlfriends. David is a 26 year-old Jewish comedy club worker in Chicago who is a loud, opinionated, overweight, likable womanizer, whereas Jack is a a quietly thoughtful beefy construction worker who loses his girlfriend Maxine Miller (Butch Jerinic) because she bores him. David loses Rebecca McManus (Rachel Tomlinson) when he asks for his apartment key back. While David is looking forward to living the free and single life with his buddy, Jack spends his time contemplating when and how to tell his best friend and others that he is actually gay. Finally, Jack comes out to David and things begin to change within the boundaries of their friendship. This takes the friendship on some interesting turns especially when Jack has numerous anonymous gay affairs. David cracks fag jokes and continues womanizing, but the two friends discover that they need each other despite their differences. The film ends awkwardly with David leaving Chicago, and Jack remaining behind.
In this earnest and gritty coming out of the closet comedy drama, two different but similar men deal with a major change in their friendship. While the plot is thin at times, the film really is more of a character study between two friends as they come to terms with growing and changing. It's an intense, authentic, honest, sharp, and humorous film that works on an emotional level. The understated and knowing movie also deals with men who are very blue collar, refreshingly distant from the unbelievably gorgeous bourgeois characters in most gay-themed films. "Straightman" is a low budget production with some minor sound and lighting problems. Much of the dialogue seems improvised, and it works well in this character-driven tale. Both leads are excellent in their roles. This film was written and directed by its starring actors, Ben Berkowitz and Ben Redgrave.
