Then and Now

At his niece’s engagement party, Ned finds himself drifting into memories of the past—of his secret, unrequited love for his childhood best friend and lifelong companion, Jack. Now that Jack’s passed on, those recollections bring both comfort and a bittersweet reminder of what was lost. Amid the joyful celebrations and the younger generation’s easy acceptance of love in all its forms, Ned feels both grateful and unsettled.

Meanwhile, Jack’s son Thom is wrestling with his own uncertainties. He and his lover Alex are on a break, Thom suddenly unsure of their future and worried about how their relationship might be received in his conventional hometown. But when Ned and Thom both notice the lingering, yearning glance Alex gives Thom, the fragile balance shifts.

What follows is an unexpected, deeply personal conversation between two men of different generations—one that uncovers long-buried feelings and heartfelt truths. In the end, it’s Thom who must decide: will he let fear dictate his path and risk repeating history, or will he heed Ned’s hard-won wisdom and take a chance on love before it’s too late?