Narrative Structure:
The film is divided into chapters by day of the week.
Thursday:
Noah nearly misses the ferry from Sayville, New York on Long Island’s South Shore to Fire Island Pines.
The group is reunited with their “house mother” Erin, who discloses that she has to sell the Fire Island house, making this the last week they will spend together in the house.
That night, the group goes to the Blue Whale, the main bar, and meets Charlie and his wealthy friends, Will and Cooper. Howie and Charlie take interest in each other.
Meanwhile, Noah decides that his mission for the trip is for Howie to get laid and swears off boys until then. Charlies invites the group to his house.
The group gets drunk and causes a scene while Charlie and Howie get closer, and Will criticizing the group’s behavior.
Friday:
Noah returns to Will and Charlie’s house to pick up a hungover Howie; Noah invites Charlie and his friend to dinner at Erin’s.
At the grocery store, Noah meets Dex and they flirt. After seeing that Will dislikes Dex, Noah invites Dex to the dinner as well. When Charlie, Cooper, and Will arrive for dinner, and Noah and Will discuss books, surprising Noah. Dex arrives, making Will visibly uncomfortable. Dex and Noah flirt, but he resists, intent on finding a match for Howie first.
Saturday
Howie tells the group that he and Charlie kissed, motivating to make the two a match.
The group gets ready for the weekly underwear party in Cheery Grove. At the party, the group does some illicit drugs.
Cooper passive-aggressively talks to Noah about his growing attraction to Will and implies that he wants Will for himself, accusing Noah of liking Will just for his money.
Noah meets up with Dex again, and they head to the dark room for sex. But Noah gets distracted seeing Will, accidentally hitting Dex in the nose. This causes a public confrontation between Cooper, Will, Dex, and Noah, during which Noah sees Charlie making out with another guy.
Noah deals with the fallout from the underwear party–friends accidentally doing too many drugs, lost friends, and finding a distraught Howie.
Noah walks back to the Pines with an upset Will, and they fight. Noah accuses Will of being uptight and judgmental, and Will tells Noah that Noah is pretentious.
At an afterparty in the Pines, Howie and Noah fight. Howie brings up issues of body dysmorphia, racism, and classism.
He finally tells Noah their experiences are not the same just because they are both gay and Asian.
A love letter to the LGBT community and its diverse and inclusive culture, the breezily entertaining Fire Island proves there are still fresh ways to update Austen, daring to focus on gay men’s sex lives without debauchery, violence–or judgement.
Bringing everyone to this picture-perfect spot, by inviting them to party in the Pines, serves as the means of uniting them.
Booster’s screenplay shlud be commended for its healthy humor, its approach on racial issues, and its refusal to refrain from tension-filled situations.
The hig-profile comedy is brought to life by a tremendously talented cast–especially the strong chemistry between Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang’s characters.
Cast
Joel Kim Booster as Noah, based on Elizabeth Bennet
Bowen Yang as Howie, based on Jane Bennet
Conrad Ricamora as Will, based on Fitzwilliam Darcy
James Scully as Charlie, based on Charles Bingley
Margaret Cho as Erin, based on Mrs. Bennet
Matt Rogers as Luke, based on Lydia Bennet
Tomás Matos as Keegan, based on Kitty Bennet
Torian Miller as Max, based on Mary Bennet
Nick Adams as Cooper, based on Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine
Zane Phillips as Dex, based on George Wickham
Michael Graceffa as Rhys
Aidan Wharton as Braden
Peter Smith as Moses
Bradley Gibson as Johnny
