Making Love

Zack and Claire meet in college, marry after eight years, and move into a big house in the Los Angeles area. They share a happy life for several years as they build careers and plan for a family.

While outwardly successful, Zack begins to feel drawn to men, as he starts picking up partners in his car and frequently visiting gay bars in West Hollywood during lunch hours. He tries to keep his personal turmoil separate from his marriage and career, but the tension grows.

Bart McGuire, an openly gay novelist, comes to Zack for a routine medical check-up and sparks a mutual, unspoken attraction. The professional encounter becomes the spark that challenges Zack's sense of self and his life with Claire.

Zack and Bart go out for lunch, and Zack begins to identify himself as 'curious' rather than fully gay. The connection deepens as they share conversation and chemistry, pushing Zack to confront his hidden desires.

They return to Bart's house and sleep together, marking Zack's first sexual experience with another man. Zack wants to stay the night, but Bart's avoidance pattern leaves him unfulfilled and angry, deepening the relational strain.

Bart suggests they meet again over the weekend, but his fear of intimacy remains rooted in a troubled childhood. The tension between desire and fear underscores the difficulty of combining love with fear.

Claire requests a year-long leave, is granted a promotion, and travels to New York on a weekend business trip. While she’s away, Zack grows closer to Bart, and a confrontation about honesty surfaces during a visit to Bart’s home.

That night, Zack tells Bart that he loves him, but the confession leaves Bart fearful of a deeper commitment and he pushes Zack away the next morning. The emotional distance sharpens as Zack faces growing feelings he cannot easily resolve.

Bart comes to realize he has feelings for Zack but is not ready to commit, and he returns to his cruising life at the West Hollywood bars. He remains emotionally unavailable, leaving Zack in a state of uncertain longing.

Claire returns from her trip and confronts Zack about his attraction to other men; her reaction is intense, and Zack ultimately leaves their home. The marriage deteriorates as the truth surfaces.

Claire discovers a matchbook with a man's name and traces the person Zack had met, learning he lives a relatively normal life. She tries to convince Zack to stay and even accepts the idea of an open arrangement, but Zack insists he can no longer live a lie and asks for a divorce.

Winnie Bates dies, signaling a leap in time. Zack is living in New York in a committed relationship with an investment banker named Ken, while Claire has remarried to an architect and started a family. Zack returns to Los Angeles for Winnie’s funeral, and the two ex-spouses acknowledge each other’s happiness.

Throughout the film, Bart and Claire deliver intimate monologues directly to the audience, offering personal insights into the scenes just shown. These asides provide perspective on love, honesty, and identity as the narrative unfolds.