ANY DAY NOW

Director Travis Fine’s film of a gay couple fighting a biased legal system to keep custody of the abandoned mentally handicapped teenager that comes to live under their roof is set in the 1970s but is a very topical story as even now, the prejudice against homosexuality precludes gay adoption in a number of states in the USA.

Very likely this film will make you laugh, cry and feel very annoyed at the injustices and prejudices the characters face against bureaucracy and bigotry. It is based on a true story, which adds to its power as a new family is created and then struggled to sustain.

The film offers a convincing portrait of a gay couple whose ability to do the right thing is challenged. Alan Cumming gives a strong performance, with soul and depth, Garret Dillahunt is perfect as his foil; their chemistry feels just right. First-time feature film actor, Isaac Leyva, also makes a positive debut

It is clearly an unblinking depiction of institutionalized homophobia yet also feels a story about outsiders, kept from the mainstream by fear and blinkered attitudes (masquerading as religious or moral beliefs).