Those People (2015)

Those People is special because it treats young adulthood like a high-stakes emotional landscape—where love, loyalty, and self-respect collide in rooms that look impossibly beautiful and feel uncomfortably real. Set against the Upper East Side’s polished surfaces, Joey Kuhn’s assured direction and evocative cinematography turn Manhattan into a kind of mirror for the characters’ private longings, while the performances keep everything grounded in messy, human truth. The vibe is intimate and quietly aching rather than melodramatic, letting glances and silences do as much work as dialogue. If you’re drawn to romantic dramas that linger on complicated bonds and the painful grace of growing up, it’s deeply rewarding—but if you prefer big twists and tidy catharsis, this one may feel more like a mood you inhabit than a plot you race through.

Those People is aiming for an intimate Upper East Side character study about messy loyalty, unrequited fixation, and the possibility of choosing a healthier love. The problem is it often drifts into languid, uneven pacing and a story path you can see coming, so the emotional beats don’t always land as hard as the film wants. When the drama ramps up, it can feel more theatrical than believable, and if bratty, juvenile behavior in grown characters is a dealbreaker for you, you’ll be irritated rather than moved. There are still pleasures here—handsome visuals, a melancholy tone, and a few sincere moments—but if you need tight plotting and a satisfying, logical ending, this one may test your patience.