In “Our Son,” a heart-wrenching drama from director Bill Oliver, we follow the story of Nicky, a successful New York book publisher, as he navigates a bitter custody battle for his son Owen. After his partner of 13 years, Gabriel, decides to end their relationship, Nicky is left reeling and wondering how he’ll ever get through this. This is a story that’s been told before in mainstream cinema, but gay cinema has been slow to tackle the issue. Oliver’s film corrects that oversight with a beautifully judged human drama that dissects a dying marriage with humor and intelligence, drawing out an especially open and moving performance from Billy Porter.
The most noticeable thing about Oliver’s film is the sense of calm that prevails, to the extent that the first rift comes seemingly out of nowhere. But as the story unfolds, tensions rise and emotions run high. Both characters are sketched with such care and depth that, when hostilities finally break out, they are both grounded and relatable. The couple’s social group, an ominous mix of ages, gender identities, and races, become surprisingly endearing in this respect, offering advice and perspectives that gild the film with a sense of lived experience.
Through it all, Oliver keeps things on a steady keel, even when the lawyers come and especially when Nicky decides on the nuclear option, which involves suing for full-time custody. Evans and Porter have an easygoing chemistry that adds a genuine sense of anticipation to the climax. Their marriage is dead, that much is clear, but how will they move on? Especially after the bickering has left so many emotional scars.
The dialogue is pretty good in this regard, with little grandstanding and no thought for the Oscar moment, which could, ironically, stand it in good stead come awards season. The strongest line, however, comes from Nicky’s nephew at an awkward family dinner. “Uncle Nicky,” he says, “It must be hard fighting for the right to marry and then ending up in the divorce court like everyone else.” It gets a laugh, but there’s real weight to those words, and Oliver’s film reflects the surreal what-just-happened moment in the lives of every lover, gay or straight, caught off-guard by life’s bitter ironies.
