Spoiler Alert review: A ridiculously charming leading man anchors a genre-defying love story
For decades, gay love stories have been presented as tragedies, with rare exceptions swinging over to broad comedy. Spoiler Alert refuses to be either. That's not to say the real-life story of Michael Ausiello and Kit Cowan doesn't end (and begin, actually) in a hospital bed — or elicit a few laughs — but the new film spends the bulk of its 112 minutes sitting in the mundane of Michael and Kit's life: the awkwardness of early dates, the meeting of parents, the nights on the couch watching Drag Race. Yes, it chronicles Kit's cancer battle and death, but Spoiler Alert is ultimately a relationship story, one we see on screen far too infrequently.
Just like its source material — TVLine founder Michael Ausiello's bestselling memoir Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies — the movie lets you know from the start that Michael (Jim Parsons) will lose Kit (Ben Aldridge) to a rare and aggressive form of neuroendocrine cancer. Getting that out of the way up front frees director Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) from any inclination to inject a sense of manipulative hope. A happy ending is not an option here. We know Kit's fate and, just like Michael, can only focus on enjoying the time we have with the charming photographer.
Giovanni Rufino/FOCUS FEATURES Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge in 'Spoiler Alert'.
And oh, how charming Aldridge is as Kit. The Pennyworth and Fleabag actor effortlessly exudes movie-star charisma with all the approachability of a Hallmark romantic lead. Parsons is distant in comparison (though colleagues who worked with Ausiello at EW in the late 2000s say the Big Bang Theory star successfully captures the essence of the witty man they knew), but that reservedness doesn't hinder the magnetism of the couple's early scenes together.
Screenwriters David Marshall Grant (A Million Little Things, Brothers & Sisters) and Dan Savage (the columnist behind "Savage Love") seem an equally suitable match, the latter infusing a kick into what could have played out as an oversentimental episode of Grant's television work. Spoiler Alert nimbly shifts tone and time periods, and whenever it gets a little too cute for its own good, the film finds its way back into an intimate, real moment between Kit and Michael.
The central couple is so appealing that the story deflates a bit any time their world expands (through no fault of his own, Queer Eye's Antoni Porwoski is a distracting casting choice as Kit's coworker). That observation initially includes the intrusion of Kit's parents (Sally Field and Bill Irwin), whose first appearance plays out more like a Will & Grace story line — though their presence is increasingly welcome as Kit's health declines. Spoiler Alert's delicate restraint is on full display as Field's Marilyn is informed of her son's diagnosis. The actress, known for her Oscar-worthy scene-chewing, goes subtle for a change with her understated yet still heartbreaking response.
Spoiler Alert defies expectations throughout, refusing to adhere to one genre or storytelling convention. Some unexpected twists are successful (a multi-cam sitcom setting provides Michael's backstory) while others are jarring (one hard left turn in the final act, in particular), but Showalter ultimately succeeds because he never loses focus of the heart at the core of his story. Grade: B+
Spoiler Alert is out now in limited release, available wide on Dec. 9.
Related content:
