Those People is a visually elegant and emotionally charged drama from writer-director Joey Kuhn, exploring the fine line between love, longing, and self-liberation. Set in the privileged art circles of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the 2015 film centers on a group of young, wealthy friends tangled in romantic confusion, emotional trauma, and personal growth.
At the heart of the story is Charlie (Jonathan Gordon), a talented and soft-spoken painter, who is hopelessly in love with his childhood best friend, Sebastian (Jason Ralph). Sebastian, the troubled son of a disgraced billionaire, leans heavily on Charlie for comfort as his life spirals in the wake of his father's public scandal. Their bond is deeply emotional, bordering on toxic—intimate but never quite romantic, with Charlie living in Sebastian’s shadow.
The arrival of Tim (Haaz Sleiman), a charming concert pianist, introduces the possibility of real love for Charlie—a mature, emotionally available relationship. But Charlie must first confront his own fixation with Sebastian and ask himself a difficult question: can he let go of someone who doesn't truly love him back?
The film thrives in its emotional subtleties. With strong performances, particularly by Gordon and Ralph, and a moody, stylish aesthetic, Those People becomes more than a love triangle—it’s a story about choosing yourself, even when it hurts. The final act doesn’t offer sweeping resolutions but delivers a quiet, bittersweet ending that feels honest to the story’s core: sometimes, the hardest part of love is knowing when to stop waiting.
While Those People ends with a hopeful but uncertain future, many fans have wondered what happened after Charlie stepped away from Sebastian, ready to start anew. A speculative sequel, These Days, could pick up five years later.
Charlie is now a rising name in the New York art scene, his paintings more introspective and emotionally daring. He's in a stable relationship with a new partner, but Tim has long since disappeared from his life—his sudden departure still a quiet ache. One night at a gallery opening, Charlie sees Sebastian again. He's sober now, a shell of his former arrogant self, humbled by years of therapy, loss, and self-work.
Their reunion is cautious, layered with memories and pain, but also understanding. Over several meetings, they confront what they were, what they weren’t, and what they could never be. Meanwhile, Tim resurfaces in the city for a piano residency, forcing Charlie to choose between rekindling something real or repeating past mistakes.
These Days wouldn’t be about reigniting love, but about redefining it—what it means to forgive, to move on, and to live truthfully. It would be a quieter film, more reflective and mature, showing that while first love may shape us, it doesn’t have to trap us.
Those People remains an underrated LGBTQ+ gem—both poignant and painfully relatable for anyone who's ever fallen for the wrong person. In a culture that often glamorizes obsession as passion, it offers something more nuanced: a reminder that real love starts with choosing yourself.
Whether a sequel ever materializes or not, Those People leaves its mark as a coming-of-age film with style, soul, and sincerity.
