Retake

Jonathan travels to San Francisco with the aim of hiring a male escort. He first hires Scotty, but the encounter goes poorly and leaves him unsettled. The disappointing experience pushes him to search further for connection on the streets.

After the failed date, Jonathan returns to the streets and encounters an unnamed hustler. He offers to pay the escort to accompany him on a road trip to the Grand Canyon, with no questions asked. The hustler agrees and they set off on the long journey.

The hustler agrees to join the road trip and adopts the name Brandon for the trip. They begin their journey through the American Southwest, leaving behind their old lives and expectations. A new, tentative chemistry forms as they travel.

During the road trip, Jonathan asks Brandon to embody a specific persona. He discovers a photo of someone named Brandon in Jonathan's shaving kit and cuts his hair to match. This physical transformation deepens their odd, intense bond.

As the journey continues, their connection grows stronger. Brandon encourages Jonathan to live in the moment while Jonathan pushes him to stay in character. They swap stories and reveal portions of their pasts, creating a fragile trust.

One night, Brandon nudges Jonathan to skinny-dip in a hotel pool, a bold break from their former selves. They are spotted by a curious straight couple, James and Iris, which complicates their secrecy. The incident marks a turning point in how openly they express their feelings.

After the pool incident, Jonathan sneaks out and listens to a mysterious tape of someone singing to him. The eerie audio intensifies the sense that there is something unresolved in his past. He becomes more introspective about his need for connection.

They run into Iris and James again at a local bar, and Brandon brings them into the evening. Jonathan loosens up further and even dances with Iris, enjoying a moment of carefree connection. The group dynamic broadens the trip's emotional scope.

On a drunken ride back to their motel, Brandon nudges Jonathan to relax further, and they share a late-night dance in headlights. Jonathan opens up about his tendency to plan for the future rather than living in the present. Brandon's warmth encourages him to stay in the moment longer.

The next morning, Jonathan is mugged outside the hotel, and Brandon calms him after the shock. He then finds a cache of old polaroids revealing that much of the trip — including the mugging — was a constructed memory. The revelation unsettles both of them and sours their bond.

Brandon confronts Jonathan about the artificial nature of the trip and their chemistry. Jonathan reveals that Brandon died of an overdose during their road trip years earlier, and that he's been reliving it through this encounter. The truth dissolves the illusion and leaves Jonathan alone with his memories.

In a bar, the hustler tells his backstory, admitting he was kicked out as a teen and started hustling. He reflects on not knowing who he is or what he wants, while Jonathan seems to understand. The reveal that he now goes by Adam from Dayton, Ohio brings a new sense of possibility as they reconnect at the motel.

They decide to start over, with the revelation of his name as Adam from Dayton, Ohio strengthening their bond. They reconnect emotionally at the motel, staying up all night talking about futures that might exist beyond the road. The mood shifts from escape to potential new beginnings.

In the morning, Adam finds Jonathan gone, leaving an envelope for a bus ride home. He heads to the bus station to head back to Dayton, while Jonathan continues toward the Grand Canyon with a strengthened resolve. The split underscores a choice between memory and move-forward life.

Jonathan drives to the Grand Canyon, arriving alone but tempered by the emotional journey he shared. He stares out at the vast emptiness, contemplating an uncertain future that now feels possible. The road trip ends with a sense of quiet resilience rather than closure.