Straight Up 2019

Romance

Comedy

Box Office

$16K

Runtime

97 mins

Language

English

Directed by

James Sweeney

Made by

Valparaiso Pictures

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Straight Up Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Straight Up (2019). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Todd, a twenty-something man from Los Angeles with OCD, grapples with romance because he has a strong aversion to bodily fluids. He likes the men he dates, but aside from an attempt at oral sex, he has never had penetrative sex with them. Eventually he decides to try dating women, and attempts to hook up with a girl after getting drunk with her but freaks out when her hymen breaks. His psychoanalyst wonders if this exploration of sexuality is a good idea, but Todd fears being alone and resolves to continue trying.

Rory, a struggling actress who has trouble emotionally connecting with others, crosses paths with him in the self-help section of a library. They immediately click, sharing an eccentric sense of humor, and they spend hours talking and connecting. Rory quickly moves in with Todd and joins him on his various house-sitting jobs.

Todd’s friends oppose the relationship, viewing it as a manifestation of Todd’s internalized homophobia, and they frequently undermine its validity. Rory agrees to pursue a romantic relationship with him—though sex is off the table. After Todd introduces Rory to his parents, he worries that they might like him more because he’s now dating a woman.

At an awkward Christmas party with Todd’s friends where they play truth or dare, Rory walks in on Todd in a compromising position with his gay friend and leaves. Rory becomes increasingly unhappy with her life in LA, and decides to move to Seattle. During their break-up conversation, Rory says she may want kids (they had previously agreed neither wanted children) and Todd goes into a panic attack.

Some time later Rory has an established office job in Seattle, but still has problems connecting with her coworkers. Todd refuses to date anyone since Rory left. One of Rory’s coworkers takes an interest in her, but she realizes they are too different. She calls Todd but hangs up before he can pick up. When she leaves work at the end of the day she finds Todd waiting for her. In an attempt at a grand romantic gesture, Todd proposes, but Rory declines. Todd makes an impassioned plea to her, tells her he loves her, and does not want to be with anyone else.

While Todd and Rory chat over a tile game, another man sits between them to join the conversation, with an intimacy apparently evolving among the trio.

Straight Up Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Straight Up (2019) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Todd decides to date women

After a pattern of failed relationships and a strong aversion to bodily fluids, Todd resolves to date women to avoid loneliness. He recognizes his hesitancy and begins to explore heterosexual dating as a new path. This marks a deliberate shift in how he pursues relationships.

Los Angeles

Drunken hookup exposes Todd's anxiety

After getting drunk, he attempts to hook up with a girl. When things become intimate and her hymen breaks, his anxiety spikes and he panics. The incident highlights his unease with heterosexual sex and his fear of losing control.

Todd meets Rory in the library

In the self-help section of a library, Todd meets Rory, a struggling actress who has trouble emotionally connecting with others. They instantly click due to their offbeat sense of humor and easy banter. They end up talking for hours and feeling a surprising connection.

Library (self-help section)

Rory moves in and joins house-sitting

Rory moves in with Todd and accompanies him on his house-sitting gigs, plunging them into daily life together. Their closeness deepens as they share routines and personal stories. They begin to form a stable, if unconventional, partnership.

Friends oppose and Rory agrees to romance with limits

Todd's friends oppose the relationship, suggesting it reflects internalized homophobia rather than true connection. They undermine the couple and question Todd's choices. Rory agrees to pursue a romantic relationship with him, but they decide that sex will be off the table.

Todd introduces Rory to his parents

Todd introduces Rory to his parents, and he worries they might like him more because he's dating a woman. This fear highlights his insecurities about identity and parental approval.

Todd's family home

Christmas party reveals trouble in paradise

During a Christmas party with Todd's friends, Rory walks in on Todd in a compromising moment with his gay friend and leaves. The incident strains their relationship and deepens Rory's sense of distance from the LA circle.

Rory moves to Seattle

Feeling unhappy with life in Los Angeles, Rory decides to move to Seattle in search of emotional connection and new opportunities. The move marks a turning point in their relationship as distance grows between them.

Los Angeles

Tension builds as they confront future goals

Some time later, Rory has an established office job in Seattle and struggles to connect with coworkers. Todd remains unwilling to date anyone since Rory left, and the tension between them rises as their paths diverge. The talk of future goals culminates in a panic attack for Todd when Rory hints at wanting kids.

Seattle

Rory signals space, but tests the waters

Rory’s life in Seattle continues: a coworker shows interest in her, and she realizes they may not be a good fit. She also makes a call to Todd but hangs up before he can answer, signaling the widening gulf between them.

Seattle

Todd proposes, Rory declines

Rory returns home to find Todd waiting for her. In a grand romantic gesture, Todd proposes, hoping to reconcile, but Rory declines, choosing to keep distance rather than restart their relationship.

Seattle

A new triadic intimacy forms

In a final moment, Todd and Rory talk over a tile game when another man sits between them, and intimacy appears to evolve among the trio. The scene signals a shifting, ambiguous dynamic that stretches the boundaries of their relationship.

Seattle

Straight Up Characters

Explore all characters from Straight Up (2019). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Todd (James Sweeney)

Todd is a twenty-something from Los Angeles who lives with OCD and has a strong aversion to bodily fluids. He struggles with romantic relationships, keeping sex off the table with partners and fearing closeness. He secretly longs for connection and stability, which drives him to explore dating women despite his reservations, leading to moments of anxiety and self-doubt. His journey centers on balancing desire, fear, and honesty with himself and Rory.

🧠 OCD traits 💔 Relationship challenges 😂 Witty humor

Rory (Katie Findlay)

Rory is a struggling actress who emotionally disconnects from others but forms a rapid connection with Todd. She moves in with him and shares his quirky humor while seeking genuine intimacy. Her relationship with Todd becomes strained as they face disagreements about children and life goals, and she eventually moves to Seattle. Her choices reflect a desire for independence and a willingness to pursue happiness even when it disrupts her relationship.

🎭 Acting career 💞 Emotional connection challenges 🗺️ Relocation

Dr. Larson (Tracie Thoms)

Dr. Larson is Todd's psychoanalyst who questions whether Todd's exploration of sexuality is wise. She provides a clinical perspective on his boundaries, fears, and the potential consequences of changing his dating pattern. Her guidance frames the therapy process as a way to understand desire, risk, and self-acceptance.

🧠 Therapist role 💬 Psychoanalysis 🎯 Guidance

Straight Up Settings

Learn where and when Straight Up (2019) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Location

Los Angeles, Seattle

Set mainly in Los Angeles, the story follows Todd's life amid urban neighborhoods and casual house-sitting work. It later shifts to Seattle when Rory moves there, marking a transition in their relationship. The urban environments—busy streets, libraries, and apartment life—reflect the couple's attempt to find connection amid personal quirks.

🏙️ Urban setting 🎭 Romance 🧭 Relationship dynamics

Straight Up Themes

Discover the main themes in Straight Up (2019). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💘

Sexuality

Straight Up follows Todd as he tests dating women after years of attraction to men, confronting his own discomfort with sex and his fear of loneliness. The film examines internalized homophobia and the pressure to conform to traditional relationship norms. It portrays how desire, identity, and vulnerability collide in the search for meaningful connection. Romantic openness and boundaries are tested as Todd and Rory navigate intimacy.

🧠

Mental Health

Todd's OCD manifests as an aversion to bodily fluids and ritualized behavior that complicates dating. The condition shapes his choices and fuels anxious moments, including panic during intimate situations. The film portrays therapy as a lens through which Todd examines his fears and insecurities. Audience sees how mental health intersects with love, trust, and personal growth.

🤝

Non-traditional Relationships

What starts as a conventional romance evolves into a more complex dynamic as Todd and Rory's relationship strains and finally hints at expanded intimacy. The narrative challenges binary notions of monogamy and explores how boundaries shift. The ending suggests openness to new romantic and sexual possibilities beyond the couple. The film remains grounded in humor while probing commitment, consent, and companionship.

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Straight Up Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Straight Up (2019). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the sun‑lit sprawl of Los Angeles, a city that hums with creative ambition and restless energy, lives a young man whose life is organized down to the last detail. Todd is meticulous to a fault, his days punctuated by routines that keep his anxiety—and a deep‑seated aversion to bodily fluids—at bay. Though he has always dated men, a lingering question threatens to upend his carefully constructed world: what if he isn’t gay after all? That doubt, paired with a quiet terror of ending up alone, pushes him toward an uneasy experiment in self‑discovery, forcing him to confront the limits of his comfort zone while navigating a social scene that often feels both inviting and overwhelming.

Across the same city, an aspiring actress wrestles with her own uncertainty. Rory drifts through auditions and odd jobs, her talent for clever humor masking a persistent struggle to form genuine emotional connections. Their paths cross in the unassuming aisle of a self‑help section, a place where both seek guidance yet find something far more unexpected: a magnetic, intellectually charged rapport that blossoms into a partnership defined by sharp wit and deep conversation rather than physical intimacy. Their bond feels simultaneously fragile and resilient, a dance of two people who understand each other’s quirks without needing to fill the conventional romantic script.

The film settles into a tone that balances dry comedy with tender melancholy, allowing the city’s eclectic backdrop—library stacks, house‑sitting gigs, cramped apartments—to reflect the characters’ inner turbulence. Friends and family hover like an ever‑present chorus, offering encouragement, doubt, and subtle pressure, while the duo’s shared moments linger in the quiet spaces between jokes. The narrative invites viewers to linger on the nuances of identity, the paradox of longing for connection while fearing its consequences, and the way ordinary environments can become stages for extraordinary self‑examination.

Against this richly textured canvas, Todd and Rory continue their tentative exploration, their conversations hinting at possibilities that could reshape how they see themselves and each other. The story remains an intimate portrait of modern loneliness, humor, and the relentless pursuit of a place where one’s truth can finally feel at home.

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