Any Day Now (2012) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Paul was a closeted district attorney who lived in fear of exposure. At his workplace, he panicked at the sudden appearance of Rudy and Marco because he knew that being seen with a known drag performer could raise suspicions about his sexuality and damage his career. He urged them to contact Family Services hoping to distance himself from a situation that threatened to reveal his private life.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Paul is established as someone who keeps his personal life completely separated from his professional identity as a district attorney.

• paul fleiger
• family services
• closeted
• district attorney
• fear of exposure

In 1979, same-sex relationships faced severe prejudice and legal obstacles. When they appeared before Judge Meyerson, Paul claimed they were cousins to provide a legally acceptable basis for guardianship without revealing their romantic relationship. The lie worked temporarily, securing temporary custody, but later became a critical point of condemnation when the court discovered the truth.

Foreshadowing: The film's setting in 1979 West Hollywood reflects a time when gay individuals often had to conceal their identities to navigate society and legal systems.

• cousins lie
• custody
• court
• judge meyerson
• 1979

District Attorney Wilson grew suspicious of Rudy and Paul's relationship after hosting them at a party. When Rudy's temper flared at being called a cousin and Wilson noticed the tension, he began investigating their guardianship. Wilson fired Paul and his secretary Monica, then filed allegations about the couple's relationship and potential inappropriate influence on Marco. These accusations prompted Family Services to step in and remove Marco.

Foreshadowing: The tension at Wilson's party, where Rudy publicly objected to the cousin label, directly triggered Wilson's suspicion and subsequent investigation.

• family services
• marco removed
• da wilson
• allegations
• custody investigation

After her release from prison, Marianna was encouraged by the district attorney's office to pursue reunification with Marco. This legal move complicated Rudy and Paul's custody battle significantly. Their attorney, Lonnie Washington, warned that fighting for custody while Marianna was actively seeking reunification would be nearly impossible until Marco turned 18. The legal tug-of-war ultimately led to Marco being placed back with Marianna.

Foreshadowing: Marianna's signing of temporary guardianship papers earlier established her legal claim to Marco, which she later exercised with the DA's support.

• marianna
• reunification
• prison
• custody battle
• district attorney

After being placed with Marianna following the legal battle, Marco lived in a neglectful environment. Marianna and her new boyfriend ignored his attempts to seek attention and made him feel unwelcome. Desperate to find the stable home he had known with Rudy and Paul, Marco began wandering the streets. He died under a bridge after three days of wandering, unable to find his way back to the only family that had truly accepted him.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes showed Marco calling Rudy and Paul his two daddies and expressing how happy he was with them, making his return to neglectful circumstances tragically inevitable.

• marco death
• bridge
• wandering
• neglect
• marianna

The news of Marco's death devastated both Paul and Rudy. In the wake of this tragedy, Rudy performed a somber, aching rendition of 'I Shall Be Released' at Fabios as a final tribute to the boy they had loved and cared for. The performance served as a heartbreaking closing to their journey of chosen family, legal peril, and the longing to belong.

Foreshadowing: The film opened with Rudy performing at Fabios, making the final performance a tragic bookend to his story.

• rudy performance
• i shall be released
• fabios
• tribute
• grief

Paul was a district attorney in 1979, a time when being openly gay could end careers and invite criminal prosecution. The film depicts the constant pressure this secrecy imposed, Paul referred to Rudy as a cousin publicly, and both men lived in fear that the truth would surface. This anxiety culminated when Wilson's suspicions led to their family being torn apart.

Foreshadowing: Paul's initial refusal to help at his workplace established his deep-seated fear of exposure from the very beginning.

• secret relationship
• closeted
• paul fleiger
• rudy donatello
• discrimination

The 1979 legal environment reflected widespread societal prejudice against same-sex couples. When the truth about their relationship emerged, Judge Meyerson condemned their failure to disclose it on the guardianship papers. The DA's office hurled sharp accusations questioning the ethics of same-sex adoption and suggesting Marco's welfare was at risk, despite Marco himself testifying that he was well-treated and wanted to stay with them.

Foreshadowing: The repeated references to 1979 as the setting establish the era's discriminatory attitudes toward homosexuality.

• court
• judge
• discrimination
• same-sex adoption
• da office

Marco's Down syndrome made him particularly vulnerable and highlighted the additional challenges faced by the unconventional family. Doctors indicated he would require lifelong care, which made Rudy and Paul's commitment to his well-being more meaningful. His disability also made the foster system especially ill-suited for him, he escaped because he couldn't adapt to unfamiliar, non-inclusive environments. His ultimate death was particularly tragic because he lacked the skills to navigate the streets alone.

Foreshadowing: The medical assessment early on established that Marco needed specialized, consistent care that only a dedicated family could provide.

• down syndrome
• marco
• disability
• special needs
• foster care

Rudy was arrested for physically attempting to block Family Services from removing Marco from their home. Paul bailed him out and urged him to abandon his drag performances, believing that a quieter, more conventional lifestyle might convince the court to overturn the removal decision. This sacrifice showed Paul's desperation to keep their family together, even at the cost of Rudy's artistic identity.

Foreshadowing: Rudy's identity as a drag performer and musician had been central to his character from the opening scenes at Fabios.

• rudy arrest
• bail
• drag performer
• custody
• paul fleiger