Read Between the Lines (2022)

There’s too much dialogue here, but still you don’t have to be gay for it to resonate. “Carlos” (Nicholas Di Prima) is loitering amidst the tomes in Barnes & Noble trying to pluck up the courage to go and talk to one of the staff. He knows “Milo” (Jackson Beard) from class but he’s just too anxious to go say hello. Meantime, his friend “Ari” - yes, after Miss Grande herself (Zephaniah Terry) manages a bit of legerdemain with the man to confirm that “Carlos” is theoretically in with a shout and so issues him with an ultimatum. The shop closes in half an hour and so that’s how long he has to approach “Milo” else he is walking home. Will he, and if he does will he get the response he dreams of or will he be left on the shelf? This is quite an engaging take on one aspect of the coming-of-age process and I thought Di Prima handled it quite well. He imbues his persona with a palpable nervousness that is comical but also quite associable too. It’s also quite fun to watch his straight friend helping but also slightly savouring the excruciating process as 9pm looms ever closer. It’s the right side of cringing and there’s an optimism at the end, too - but is it the one we expected? Maybe he could ask for a book on flirting?