Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List

Naomi has loved Ely for years but fears that admitting her romantic feelings would ruin their best friendship. Her mother's struggle after her father left due to an affair has made Naomi anxious about losing the people she loves most. She chooses to maintain their close friendship rather than risk confessing and potentially destroying what they have.

Early scenes show Naomi watching Ely leave for hookups with a pained expression, hinting at her unspoken feelings.

The No Kiss List is a literal pact Naomi and Ely create to protect each other from romantic complications. They agree not to pursue certain people, adding names like Gabriel the doorman to the list. The list represents their commitment to prioritize their friendship over romantic entanglements, though it eventually gets tested when their own feelings conflict with the pact.

The film establishes early that both characters take the list seriously, making its eventual violation more significant.

During Halloween prep, Ely confesses that the kiss he shared with Naomi wasn't a spontaneous error but something that meant something to him. This revelation forces Naomi to confront feelings she's been avoiding, shifting their dynamic from purely platonic to something more complicated that neither knows how to handle.

Earlier tension between them during the double-date scene plants seeds of unspoken attraction.

Bruce 2 is a guy Naomi begins dating early in the film. The summary mentions a reveal that Bruce 'isn't just a casual fling' with a 'deeper, undeniable connection.' He eventually becomes romantically involved with Ely, creating the central love triangle. The connection involves shared interests like comics and ordinary habits that build a foundation for their relationship.

Small details like an alibi around habits and shared comic interests foreshadow Bruce 2's deeper role.

Gabriel, the handsome doorman, admits he's had a crush on Naomi since they first met. The mixtape is his way of confessing his feelings and redirecting Naomi's attention away from her complicated situation with Ely. This moment provides Naomi with an alternative romantic path and helps her realize she doesn't have to choose between different types of love.

Gabriel was added to the No Kiss List early on, signaling his significance to the story.

Naomi learns to understand that love isn't limited to one person or one form. Through conversations about different kinds of love, she realizes she can care for multiple people and that her bond with Ely doesn't have to disappear because he's with someone else. She shifts from wanting Ely romantically to appreciating their friendship as a different but equally valid connection.

Naomi watching Ely and Bruce interact in the hallway signals the beginning of her acceptance.

The ending suggests that love exists as a network of connections rather than a single path. Naomi realizes people can care deeply for more than one person simultaneously, romantic partners, friends, and family all represent different meaningful bonds. This reframes her relationship with Ely not as a lost romance but as a lasting friendship that remains valuable regardless of who else is in her life.

The film builds toward this realization through Naomi's journey of supporting multiple relationships.

Naomi's father left the family after an affair, leaving her mother Ginny to struggle financially and emotionally. Naomi watches her mother fight to keep things afloat and responds by applying for jobs and trying to help stabilize their family. This subplot runs parallel to her romantic journey, showing her growth into someone who can handle adult responsibilities while navigating complex emotions.

The opening establishes Ginny's difficult situation as a backdrop for Naomi's personal development.

The flashback to Young Naomi serves as a tonal bookend showing how far both Naomi and Ely have come since their earlier days. It emphasizes their long history and the evolution of their relationship from childhood friends to adults navigating love, sexuality, and self-identity. The memory reinforces the film's theme of growth and accepting change while treasuring foundational bonds.

The flashback contrasts their younger, simpler dynamic with the current complex emotional landscape.