Nicky (Luke Evans) and Gabriel (Billy Porter) have been together for 13 years. With Nicky busy working for a publishing house, Gabriel has brought up their son Owen (Christopher Woodley). Thanks to a breakdown in communication, Nicky is completely unaware that Gabriel is unhappy, and the revelation that he’s met someone else hits him like a hammer. When Gabriel announces that he wants a divorce, he and Nicky become locked in a custody battle for their son that quickly turns nasty as they lawyer up and draw on their friends for support.
‘Our Son’ is a familiar story of a couple navigating the difficulty of the breakdown of their marriage. We’ve seen the storyline play out in many a film before but here, it’s between a gay couple. What complicates matters further is that Owen is Nicky’s biological son but it’s Gabriel that has really brought him up for the first 8 years of his life. With Nicky busy at work and barely home, he’s neglected his husband and his son without realising it. At the beginning of the film, the tension between the couple is evident as they snipe at one another publicly, but Gabriel’s revelation is the final nail in the coffin.
The story goes pretty much where you think it will go. Nicky and Gabriel turn from lovers to enemies, both worried about having their son taken from their lives. Nicky has never been fully responsible for Owen and his commitment to work throws up plenty of questions about his suitability to be a full-time dad. Gabriel has the parenting skills but no job to speak of so financially, he’s the riskier option if Owen were to live with him. Predictably, both men use each other’s weaknesses as weapons via their lawyers as they attempt to win custody.
One of the film’s problems is that Evans and Porter feel mis-matched. We only get to see their characters at the point where their relationship has irreparably broken down, and we don’t really know much about the time they’ve spent together. While both Evans and Porter are fine actors, they struggle to make this film hit all the marks it tries to because you just don’t believe them as a couple. A little backstory would have gone a long way here. Of the two, Evans edges it ever so slightly giving a more emotionally grounded performance. Porter has plenty of strong moments but it’s Evans that really stands out.
‘Our Son’ is a solid watch but it’s not going to change your world. The performances are fine, the story chugs along exactly as you think it’s going to, and the supporting cast does a great job. What the film lacks though is that emotional gut punch that you’d expect a custody battle to deliver. ‘Kramer Vs Kramer’ this most certainly isn’t but it is a film that is still watchable largely due to its lead actors.
Cast: Billy Porter, Luke Evans, Andrew Rannells, Phylicia Rashad, Robin Weigert, Christopher Woodley Director: Bill Oliver Writer: Peter Nickowitz & Bill Oliver Certificate: 15 Duration: 104 mins Released by: Universal Pictures Release date: 25th March 2024
