A man inherits his estranged father’s prized possession — a derelict porno theatre — in Kire Paputts’ second feature, about gentrification and finding love and compassion in unlikely places.
A day in the life of Benji, a young gay man who has always looked to others for everything—his absent lover Leo for intimacy, his best friend Ava for companionship, and his eccentric parents for everything else. On the day Ava moves out of their shared apartment, Benji is forced to confront his feelings of isolation and anxiety, which have manifested themselves into a recurring dream in which Benji is hopelessly trapped inside of a whale.
At Phoenix Progressive School, students take notes lying on parlor couches and are encouraged to explore their gifts through electives like break-dancing and graphic-novel writing. In the midst of all this liberal pedagogy and budding talent, Molly Maxwell feels unexceptional, until she embarks on a photography independent study under the tutelage of her attractive English teacher, Ben. Their relationship quickly evolves beyond the darkroom, introducing Molly to the throes of a first love, and putting Ben’s job in jeopardy.
