Under One Roof

Daniel Chang, a twenty-something Chinese-American, manages the family business and cares for his widowed mother and grandmother after his father's death. He is gay but keeps his sexual life private, trying to keep his 'homo life' separate from home life. This tension fuels his mother's relentless pressure to marry.

To shield him from constant matchmaking, Daniel's friend Michelle pretends to be his steady girlfriend for a price. This makes him temporarily free to navigate dates more discreetly and buy some breathing room. The deception buys him time to figure out his real life.

Mrs. Chang rents out the basement as extra income, not knowing what deeper plans it sets in motion. Daniel expects another woman tenant, but the new occupant turns out to be Robert, a young white man from Indiana, whom he instantly finds himself attracted to. The dynamic begins to blur boundaries at home.

A plumbing mishap floods the basement with raw sewage, forcing Mrs. Chang to move Robert into Daniel's bedroom. Daniel tries to keep calm and avoid suspicion by sleeping on the living room sofa. But the cramped proximity accelerates tension and attraction.

Daniel's fear of being discovered grows as they share a bed after the sofa becomes unavailable. He remains prudish for a few nights, but the sexual tension finally erupts into a clandestine affair. Their relationship deepens despite the risk.

Grandma returns early and walks in on Daniel and Robert mid-affair, offering mooncakes and leaving the moment awkwardly in the air. The interruption makes their secret feel precarious but also awkwardly humorous. Mrs. Chang uses the incident to insist Robert move his belongings back to the basement that night.

A building inspector arrives the next day and presents a list of expensive home improvements needed to legally rent the room. Mrs. Chang argues that she has no choice but to make Robert move out, straining the couple's fledgling relationship.

Heartbroken, Robert relocates to a friend's place in Pasadena after the demand to fix the basement. Daniel's world collapses as his hope for a private life is crushed by family concerns. The love story seems to falter at its most fragile moment.

In a moment of desperation and honesty, Daniel comes out to his mother when she starts mentioning eligible young women again. He asserts that he wants to be with Robert, not a wife. Mrs. Chang's initial anger shifts to confusion and fear of losing him.

To understand how to handle her son's orientation, Mrs. Chang consults Robert's mother, who suggests the possibility of having another son. The unusual compromise reveals how cultural norms shape their choices.

Mrs. Chang calls Daniel back home and invites Robert to be part of the family, signaling a potential shift in the 'homo life' dynamic toward acceptance. Daniel's relief and apprehension mix as he contemplated the new path.

Daniel rushes to confront his mother for the last time, but the door opens to reveal Robert approaching him instead. Mrs. Chang’s invitation has in effect rewritten their future, blending family and love. The moment resolves the tension with a hopeful note.