Parting Glances

Robert is leaving for a two-year work assignment in Africa, and Michael supports him as they navigate last-minute plans. They wander through New York City, pausing to talk about what they will miss and what the separation will require. The looming departure frames the tenderness and tension of their relationship.

Michael browses LPs at a vinyl store and flirts with Peter, the young clerk. They share a playful, flirtatious exchange and Peter asks about Michael's plans for the night. Peter gives Michael his number and mentions Joan, the party host.

Back home, Michael and Robert argue about attending the going-away dinner on Robert's last night. The debate reveals their nerves about the evening and the practical details masking deeper fears. The exchange underscores the closeness and fragility of their relationship.

Michael visits his ex Nick in a cluttered apartment filled with art and MTV noise. Nick hints at AIDS in his own way, revealing a complicated history and lingering feelings. Michael injures himself with Nick's knife, and their banter hints at unresolved love between them.

At the dinner hosted by Cecil and Betty, the group discusses relationships and concealments. Betty shows openness to Michael and Robert's life, while Cecil reveals past relationships with men and the reasons for his travels. Michael grows angry about Cecil's cover marriage and the deception surrounding their setup.

Nick films a video will in his apartment, outlining how his money should be distributed after his death and earmarking funds for GMHC and loved ones. He makes pointed remarks about AIDS care and the value of care over indifference. The scene foreshadows Nick's awareness of his mortality.

Joan hosts a surprise going-away party with Peter and a room full of friends. Michael introduces his friend Terry to Peter, and flirtations continue throughout the evening. Peter asks Michael if Robert is his lover, and Michael answers with playful ambiguity.

Nick re-enters the party and is greeted warmly by Michael and the friends. The gathering carries a sense of chosen family and lingering longing, with flirtations continuing to weave through the group. The night foregrounds the complex ties among the characters.

The trio heads to a gay club to dance while Nick remains at home. Michael and Robert call Nick from the club, and Nick experiences a hallucinatory knight outside his door who whispers 'repent.' The surreal moment blends humor with a sense of looming fragility around Nick.

The morning after, Michael steals the house keys and runs away, sparking a fight as Robert prepares to leave Michael behind. Michael vows to confront injustice for Nick, while Robert urges more time with Nick before he dies. The couple parts ways with unresolved tension.

At the airport, Cecil tells Robert he will travel one leg with him before leaving for Sri Lanka. Michael takes a train home and hallucinates Nick on the way. He then goes to Nick's apartment to cook him a meal, continuing their tenuous connection.

Michael and Nick reconnect in Nick's kitchen as they discuss Nick's AIDS diagnosis and the uncertain future of treatments. They smash plates in a sudden outburst that blends humor with heartbreak. Michael admits that his love for Nick has been deep and enduring.

Betty calls Michael to tease about Cecil's travel and invites them to Area, a club where the friends gather. Nick calls Michael to say he can't take it anymore and says goodbye, signaling an emotional tipping point. The moment heightens the urgency of their impending separation.

Michael boards a seaplane to Fire Island while Robert stays behind in the U.S. Michael ultimately reaches Fire Island and finds Nick on the beach, and they debate travel and the future. Michael has flashbacks to their shared times on Fire Island as the story closes on their complicated, incomplete relationship.