Just when you think this 2022 dramedy will succumb to predictable tropes that harken back to "Love Story" and "Brian's Song", director Michael Showalter does something quite unexpected whether it's the persistent use of a 1980's-era sitcom or the meet-cute set-up that felt like it came from the same spandex-heavy era. The title is a cheeky reference to the inevitable conclusion of this love story, but it's the quirky way he and co-writers David Marshall Grant and Dan Savage handle the otherwise somber material. Based on Michael Ausiello's real-life relationship with photographer Kit Cowan, it follows their fourteen years together in episodic fashion but forsakes heavy scene chewing for more subtle character development. Not all of the scenes work, but the performances resonate. As Michael, Jim Parsons doesn't shed years of Sheldon but moves quite effectively into emotionally complex territory even if his Shirley MacLaine moment came across a bit forced. No stranger to this genre, Sally Field plays Kit's mother with touching grace and strength, and her triathlete aspirations reminded me how she could run to Texas and back but not Shelby in "Steel Magnolias". However, the film's real standout is Ben Aldridge as Kit. His magnetic presence lends a natural charm to the comedy scenes, and he brings genuine pathos to the most devastating scenes. This is definitely an actor to watch in the future.

I liked the film. I didn't love the film. I was expecting to cry. I didn't.

I'm trying to figure out what didn't click for me.

The main problem, I think, is the casting. I just didn't believe the relationship. Ben Aldridge as Kit was extremely handsome, easygoing, charming, and maybe just too perfect. It was hard to believe his attraction to neurotic and insecure Michael played by Jim Parsons.

I was excited to see Sally Field, however, it's a relatively small role. As Kit's mother, her scenes are fine but she isn't given much to do which is a shame. In fact none of the other cast makes much of an impression and important information about the two men's history such as Kit's infidelity issues seemed glossed over.

With the exception of the film focusing on a gay couple, this is a sad film that fails to bring enough humor, insight, or anything new to the table to make it worthwhile.

When the outcome of a film is already known going in (in this case, so much so that it's more than apparent from its title, which is served up here with an all-too-obvious wink and a nod),the trick to making it compelling is to take a route to the destination that captivates and holds interest along the way. But, unfortunately, that's where this fact-based gay romance/comedy/drama comes up a little short. Director Michael Showalter's latest is a fairly formulaic tragic tearjerker that starts out rather conventionally and takes a little too long to get off the ground. Because viewers know what's coming, there's considerable nervous anticipation of what lies ahead, yet it's only when the narrative switches gears to that aspect of the story that the picture starts to get interesting. The film's concluding act successfully manages to earn the emotional response it seeks to evoke, but that's only one portion of an offering that takes its sweet time getting there. The emotional home stretch will indeed tug at the heart, but it's the sole sequence that brings out that response. The remainder of this offering is a mix of familiar turf with gay romantic tropes we've all seen before and humor that never really lives up to its potential (despite what the film's trailer would lead one to believe and some of which is more than a little forced). It's too bad that this release comes up somewhat wanting, especially given its truly touching portions and the fine performances of Sally Field, Bill Irwin and Jim Parsons in a role that finally establishes him as a TV star-turned-big screen actor who's worthy of the movie roles he lands. "Spoiler Alert" is by no means a bad film; it just could have been better at doing what it set out to do.