Spoiler Alert: The Rom Com Turned Tragedy, A Movie Review
By: Mallory Johnson
I recently watched the movie Spoiler Alert, which is based on a heartbreaking true story. The film came out in 2022, and stars Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, Home), Ben Aldridge (Knock at the Cabin, Fleabag), and more. The heartfelt story follows two men who meet and fall in love…and then years later their relationship takes a tragic turn when one of them is diagnosed with cancer. Before I go any further, (a very fitting) SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: cancer, death, loss, drug use, sexual content, and homophobia.
In the first half of the movie, I was happily enjoying a comforting gay romantic comedy. However, when the climax of the story hit, I was shocked at the tonal and emotional shift. The story is devastating and comforting, with brilliant performances from Jim Parsons as Michael Ausiello and Ben Aldridge as Kit Cowan. The story pulls you in with wonderful romance and character building, only to break your heart in the best way possible. You can tell that the real Michael Ausiello was involved in telling the story in film when you look at his Instagram account: he is constantly posting about the actors, his own personal life, and the movie. He wrote the book that the movie is based on, so he was very much aware of what was getting put into the film.
There are many small aspects of the movie that are heartwarming-then-heartbreaking, like Michael laying underneath the Christmas Tree the first time, and then it gets turned into a tradition. These moments are very tender, intimate, and soft, which is one of the reasons it later packs such an emotional punch. Jim Parsons really shines in this movie, and I am so glad he can move on from roles like Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. Jim Parsons is not Sheldon Cooper; the character Michael Ausiello proves that. Both lead characters Kit and Michael are very vulnerable throughout the story, allowing the characters to feel very real and fleshed out. There is one scene in the movie with Kit blowing bubbles, with Michael filming him. If you stick out the credits, there is a mid-credits scene that broke my heart: a video of the real Kit blowing bubbles, with the real Michael filming him. They recreated this video so accurately it blew my mind. I appreciate how Spoiler Alert was not advertised as a “gay movie!!!” like the film Bros was, because it made their love and identity feel more realistic.
Overall, I very much loved this movie, and strongly believe it may be a new favorite of mine. I am a fan of emotional stories and am also a sucker for a good romance, so this film delivered the best of both worlds. I give it a strong 10/10 and highly recommend watching it if you want a good cry.