Three Months (2022)

 Three Months (2022)

Pemeran: Troye Sivan, Viviek Kalra, Brianne Tju, Javier Munoz, Ellen Burstyn, Louis Gossett Jr., Judy Greer, Amy Landecker, Jallian Barrie, Carlos Guerrero

Sutradara: Jared Freider

Studio: MTV Entertainment Studios, The Allegiance, Paramount Plus
Sambil menunggu kelulusan sekolah dan libur musim panas, Caleb Cohn (Troye Sivan) menghabiskan waktu luangnya dengan bekerja paruh waktu di sebuah toko kelontong yang tak jauh dari rumahnya. Disana ia bekerja dengan sahabatnya yaitu Dara (Brianne Tju).
Suatu hari, Caleb mendapat pesan masuk dari pria yang mengencaninya dan memberitahukan jika dia positif HIV. Caleb pun panik karena pada saat mereka berhubungan seksual, kondom yang digunakan ternyata robek. Khawatir jika dirinya terpapar HIV, Caleb langsung berangkat ke dokter untuk memeriksakan diri. Dalam perjalanan menuju ke klinik, Caleb terus dihantui rasa takut akan positif HIV. Setibanya di klinik, Caleb bertemu dengan Dr Diaz (Javier Munoz) dan langsung berkonsultasi akan kekhawatirannya itu. Setelah mengambil sampel darah dari tubuh Caleb, Dr Diaz meminta Caleb untuk datang lagi ke klinik pada bulan depan untuk proses pemeriksaan lebih lanjut.
Sambil menunggu hasil tes HIV keluar, Dr Diaz menyarankan Caleb untuk ikut bergabung dalam komunitas The Young & Sexless yang rutin mengadakan pertemuan di klinik. Dalam kegiatan tersebut para anggota akan berbagi cerita tentang kehidupan pribadinya dan saling mendukung satu sama lain. Caleb pun menyempatkan diri untuk masuk ke komunitas tersebut setelah ia selesai bekerja di toko kelontong.
Dara was shocked to hear her friend's story about having just been tested for HIV. She advised Caleb to ask the doctor for PrEP, as it was believed to be able to kill the HIV virus in the body. Hearing this, Caleb immediately rushed to the clinic to meet Dr. Diaz. Caleb was upset and angry because Dr. Diaz did not provide information about PrEP. However, Dr. Diaz had a strong reason for not giving Caleb the drug, as it can be taken after 3 days of sexual activity with an HIV-positive person. Meanwhile, Caleb only reported this after more than a week. Dr. Diaz also asked Caleb not to be afraid and to remain calm because his HIV test process was quite long and took up to three months.
For three months, Caleb tried to keep his HIV test a secret from his family. Even though he now only lives with his beloved grandmother, Valerie (Ellen Burstyn), Caleb doesn't want to disappoint and sadden her. He also asks Dara not to talk carelessly when playing at his house. During his time off from work, Caleb visits the Young & Sexless community. There, he hears many stories from people who share his sexual orientation. One of the participants who catches Caleb's attention is Eshta (Viviek Kalra), a teenager of Indian descent who is a new member like himself. After that, the two accidentally meet again at a nightclub. They chat with each other and when it's late at night, Caleb is willing to take Eshta home on his favorite bicycle.
His encounter with Eshta made Caleb fall in love again. Eshta also shared similar sentiments. They often spent time together. Eshta felt she discovered so many new things while with Caleb. However, as they became deeply intimate, Eshta refused to have sex with him. After that incident, Eshta disappeared without a trace.
Things get even more chaotic when the grandmother's new husband, Benny (Louis Gossett Jr.), accidentally finds a flyer for The Young & Sexless. Caleb finally admits that he took an HIV test and is awaiting the results. Furthermore, her best friend, Dara, experiences emotional turmoil because she is secretly having an affair with Suzanne (Judy Greer), the grocery store boss who is married.
Caleb faces numerous challenges when everyone finds out he's been tested for HIV, even though the results aren't 100% positive. Will he be able to live happily after all these challenges?
This film is lighthearted and very engaging to follow, despite its premise being quite sensitive for some. Fortunately, it has an interesting subplot about Caleb's relationship with his family, friends, and his crush, Eshta. The execution is very balanced and complements each other. I liked how Jared Frieder showed Caleb's family's reactions when they learned their son had taken an HIV test. The two reactions shown could be very relatable to HIV-AIDS survivors. Furthermore, the film doesn't try to be judgmental towards people living with HIV-AIDS. Sometimes people's reactions to this disease are overblown to the point of not wanting to meet them at all. In reality, HIV-AIDS can't be transmitted just by meeting or talking. The romance that develops between Caleb and Estha is also quite interesting. Caleb, a sarcastic teenager, melts and becomes grumpy when he meets Eshta. These two very contrasting personalities are not easy to reconcile. The ending of Caleb and Eshta's love story is quite surprising and is very easy to find in big cities.

As for the cast, singer Troye Sivan finally showcased his acting talent in a feature film once again. This time, he was trusted to play the lead, and the results were satisfying. Troye Sivan was so relaxed and mature in his role as Caleb Cohn. He was surprisingly able to build excellent chemistry with the other actors. One scene that impressed me was when Caleb and Dara's characters spent time together after the grocery store closed. Their friendship shone through strongly and was entertaining! The bond between Troye Sivan and Viviek Karla was sweet, like teenagers who had just fallen in love.

Overall