Kevin J. Nguyen | Blue Suit / 2020

best friend

by Douglas Messerli

 

Kevin J. Nguyen (screenwriter and director) Blue Suit / 2020 [15 minutes]

 

John (Ivan Mok) has a problem. Over the few months since he has gotten to know Henry (Andrew Gee) his relationship has turned from seeing the other man as a friend to his feelings of love for him.

     In so very many short gay films, the young heroes inexplicably decided to spill their feelings about the other the day before he’s traveling to another city to work, and this film is no exception. Andrew is on his way from Los Angeles to New York where he has a new job lined up—with his own nameplate.

     John is determined, nonetheless, to express his feelings for Henry over a specially planned dinner. He even puts on his special new blue suit for the occasion. But as often happens, John texts him that he’s running beyond in his packing and that he can’t join him at dinner. What other choice does John have but to help him pack over In-N-Out burgers, still aching to tell Henry about his feelings for him. He also notices, however, that Henry is pretty well finished packing; that, in some cases, he is moving things out of boxes to put them back again.

    Just when he is about to express those hidden emotions, however, the doorbell rings and a home group of friends appear at his doorway for a surprise going-away party. What’s such a well-dressed boy supposed to do. Pout a little perhaps, but still make the best of it.

    Meanwhile an openly gay boy, Mike (Jason Dennis Lee), introduces himself to John, complementing his suit, but also apologizing for crashing in on their “intimate gathering.” “So are you two, like dating?”

    John repeats the truth, that they’re just friends, but Mike sees through it all. “Two cute guys hanging out together the night before one of them moves away. That sounds like more than just friends.”

     John smiles, obviously wishing what Mike has said is true. But when he looks he sees that both Henry and the acquaintance he was talking to have disappeared. And now he’s on the chase to find out where Andrew has gone.

     But, no, Henry has not escaped from the event with another guy, but sits alone in his bedroom deeply pondering something, inviting John in to join him at his own party. Actually, Henry is in tears. He has nothing against the party, but, he admits, it just makes saying goodbye that much harder. He wanted just go to bed and wake up in New York tomorrow, he insists.

 

    This might be the perfect time for John to tell his friend about his own feelings, but John is a better friend than he is a lover and insists that Henry still has a room full friends out there, and that he’s wake in the morning hating himself he stayed away from them is bedroom.

      Henry hugs him for his wise words and is about to pull John out with him rejoining the party, except that John, once more the selfless idealist, suggests he go first otherwise people will think they might have just had sex or something.

      What’s a boy working so very hard against his own emotions supposed to do? Finally, they partyers have left, and John remains to help Henry clean up. Finally Henry insists on driving John home.

      Now is the time, and John tries again, reminding him of his comments that just because he’s moving, it doesn’t mean the end of friendships…. It’s a clear move to suggest that he want to maintain their friendship out of love. But this time Henry interrupts to tell him: “I was so scared that once I moved away everyone would forget about me, but you reminded me that’s not the case. Relationships still go on. I guess what I’m trying to say is I took your words to heart and I told Mike how I felt about him, and how I’ve felt about him for the past year. He even said he’d be out to visit me in a month or so. Can you believe it?”

    Unfortunately, John can as all sound is now just reverberations. There is way now that he can express his love to Henry.

    When they finally reach John’s house, Henry gets out, gives him a hug, and coos: “Friends! I gonna miss you bud.”

     “I’m going to miss you is what I meant to say. And thank you for sharing so much tonight.”

     So John stands there left with unanswered prayers, not future with the man he thought he loved.

     But writer/director Kevin J. Nguyen doesn’t end where it’s supposed to. Four months later, he wakes up to a short message from Henry, and in the process rediscovers his old letter, unsent, to him written the night Henry was moving away.

     John deletes in, no tears, no long pause of sorrow. He has simply moved on.

 

Los Angeles, January 14, 2026

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (January 2026).