Gayby

Gayby, dir. Jonathan Lisecki, 2012, USA, 89 min.  [trailer: IMDB • YouTube]
Saturday 6/16, 7:00pm @ Castro, GAYB16C

Makin’ a Gayby the old-fashioned way

First, there was the short film Gayby [trailer], which played at Frameline 34 in 2010 to rave reviews, although regrettably this Film Queen missed the screening. The premise is simple enough: Jenn, a single straight woman, wants to have a baby, so she asks her gay best friend Matt to help out. Rather than going through an expensive fertility clinic, or even playing the turkey baster game, though, Jenn and Matt decide to actually have sex — with one another! — to produce an offspring. Throw in various friends, coworkers (including Nelson, played by filmmaker Jonathan Lisecki), and potential love interests, and a comedy is born.

The situation has obvious comedic potential, enhanced by several funny subplots and sharp dialogue. The characters mostly have just enough “edge” for comedy without crossing the line into dehumanized one-dimensionality. Some of the material around the yoga studio where Jenn works gets a bit over the top, but not enough to derail the fun. Several laugh-out-loud moments make this a must-see film. Strongly recommended.