The Thing About Harry

Sam reluctantly sets out on a road trip to his hometown with his high school bully, Harry. On the open road, Harry casually reveals that he is pansexual, leaving Sam stunned and unsettled as he senses an undeniable, complicated bond forming between them. When they finally arrive, Harry ditches Sam to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend, forcing Sam to drive home with miles between them and a lot of questions.

At a party a year later, Sam runs into Harry again. In a moment fueled by old grievances and alcohol, Sam calls Harry a slut, a remark that stings because of what they once meant to each other. Stasia, Sam's friend, pushes for a path that could include more than friendship, while Sam remains hesitant about dating someone he already knows so well.

Six months after the party, Sam starts dating someone new, Paul, and they go to a bar for a trivia night. When a question lands on Harry’s team and an answer on Sam’s, Sam chooses Harry’s, causing Paul to walk away and end the relationship. The old friction between Sam and Harry begins to feel inevitable and, for Sam, temptingly close, as they grow closer as friends.

During the Chicago Pride celebration, the bar becomes a venue for a painful question: will Sam consider dating Harry now? Sam makes it clear that he does not date friends, even as the tension lingers. Not long after, Sam discovers Harry kissing Stasia, and the two of them begin a relationship.

A few months later, Sam attends a brunch drunk and blunt, predicting that their relationship won't last. The moment strains Sam’s bond with Stasia and Harry, prompting him to reflect on what he truly wants. The clash between sarcasm, affection, and fear marks a turning point in their dynamic.

With encouragement from his roommate Casey, Sam starts exploring dating apps to gain clarity about his desires. The experiments are mixed, leaving him uncertain about whether he wants to stay with Harry or try something else. The search becomes a catalyst for self-discovery while his relationship with Harry remains in flux.

After a year apart, Stasia reconnects with Sam to ask him to be the best man at her wedding to Zach, revealing that she and Harry have since parted ways. The request forces Sam to confront how his own long history with Harry has shaped his life. The revelation that Harry and Stasia are no longer together adds a bittersweet edge to the upcoming wedding.

At the wedding, Sam finally makes peace with Harry when the latter confesses his love, and they share a night together. The moment reaffirms the strength of their connection and jolts Sam toward forgiveness and acceptance. The couple's bond seems to become more enduring in the glow of the ceremony.

Morning after the wedding, Harry reveals he is moving away in a week, triggering Sam’s fear of abandonment and renewed mistrust. This instability pushes Sam to pull away, even as Harry watches from afar. The couple's uncertainty makes commitment feel fragile but not impossible.

Sam appears on TV at a political rally, and Harry, moved to act, sneaks into the rally and takes the stage to apologize, declaring that nothing matters more than staying together. The dramatic moment marks a renewed commitment and a willingness to fight through distance and pride. Their public act of loyalty seals a deeper bond.

Years after their reunion, Sam and Harry are married and building a family, their lives woven with patience, forgiveness, and stubborn, enduring love. The road trips, heartbreaks, and brave conversations culminate in a shared future. They show how a difficult past can renew into lasting commitment.