I'm Not Gay (2020)

In a media landscape filled with coming-of-age and coming-out stories, I'm Not Gay (2020) made a quiet yet bold entrance into indie cinema. Blending humor, discomfort, and genuine vulnerability, the film follows Danny Romero, a 23-year-old college graduate navigating identity, culture, and expectations in a conservative Midwestern town.

Danny insists he’s not gay. His Tinder matches are all women. His gym routine is impeccable. But when he forms an unexpected friendship—and growing emotional bond—with Liam, a soft-spoken barista and amateur poet, cracks begin to form in his carefully curated masculinity. His defensiveness becomes comical, even tragic, as he spirals into confusion, jealousy, and denial.

What sets I'm Not Gay apart is its unflinching portrayal of internalized homophobia, toxic masculinity, and the gray spaces of sexual identity. Rather than centering on coming out in the traditional sense, the film explores the shame and fear that can accompany desire when it doesn’t fit into your self-image.

Directed by Elliot Harmon and written with sharp wit and empathy, the film resonated especially with younger LGBTQ+ audiences and bicultural viewers who understood Danny’s tug-of-war between community expectations and personal truth.

Fast forward six years: Danny has moved to Chicago, works in tech, and dates women—kind of. But beneath his polished surface, his story is far from over. When Liam re-enters his life unexpectedly—now confident, partnered, and an author of a memoir about queer love in small towns—Danny is forced to confront the version of himself he buried.

The sequel, I'm Still Not Gay, would lean deeper into emotional maturity, showing how queerness isn't a one-time realization but a lifelong negotiation—with identity, with society, and with the self. While the first film ended on an ambiguous note—Danny crying in his car after Liam kisses someone else—the sequel would push him toward a breaking point. What happens when denial no longer protects you, but isolates you?

In an age where queer stories are becoming more visible yet still face backlash, a sequel could dissect the nuances of bisexuality, queer erasure, and late bloomers. Danny doesn’t need to “come out” in the traditional sense; he needs to stop hiding from himself.

I'm Not Gay was more than a punchline title—it was a character study in repression, delivered with biting humor and aching sadness. The script walked a fine line between mockery and compassion, never vilifying Danny but never letting him off the hook either.

Critics praised its minimalism—no dramatic soundtrack cues or tearful speeches, just awkward silences and unresolved tension. The lack of a clear resolution felt authentic, especially in a world where identity doesn’t always follow a neat arc.

In 2020, the film felt timely. In 2026, a sequel could make it timeless.