In from the Side (2022)

Alexander Lincoln does quite well here as "Mark", a man in a long-term relationship with his frequently absent partner "Richard" (Alex Hammond). He plays rugby for a gay team and after one night on the beer finds himself waking up (yep, of course he has managed to put his Calvin's back on in the middle of their night of passion!) next to "Warren" (Alexander King). The former has an open arrangement - just never the same person twice - but the latter man has secrets to keep and the two decide to leave it as a fun one night stand. Of course, it isn't that simple. Circumstances conspire and, well you can guess the rather messy rest of the plot. It's far too long, and for me anyway, just reinforced too many stereotypes surrounding hormonal guys who just can't keep their pants on. Loyalty to their rugby team seems disproportionately significant to both men - far more than any integrity with their seemingly faithful boyfriends and I found as this rather plodding affair lumbered on for all but 2¼ hours that though very easy on the eye, the characterisations became increasingly flat and uninteresting. Sure, it's great that the acting talent and the subject matter are dramatising homosexuality in a fashion that is not designed just for a gay audience, but the shallowness of their personas - especially the rather odious "Gareth" (a decent effort, too, from Carl Loughlin) just reinforced too many join-the-dot gay attitudes that I found rather underwhelming and just a little disappointing.