Such Good People 2014

Young couple Richard, Michael Urie and Alex, Randy Harrison, chase the same dream many in Los Angeles share: a thriving career, a family on the horizon, and a stunning home that feels like a fresh start. Their quest for success is grounded in hope and practicality, a mix of ambition and affection that makes their partnership feel real and grounded.

Their break comes at Edendale, a glamorous party hosted by Jake, Scott Wolf, and Chloe, Kate Reinders, who are entertaining for a fundraiser in support of Bhutan’s orphans. The atmosphere at the fundraiser is upbeat, and the two men click with their gracious hosts, finding instant chemistry that makes the awkwardness of LA life dissolve for a moment. While house-sitting for Jake and Chloe, Richard and Alex stumble upon a hidden room that seems out of place in a home that already feels like a dream: a secure stash of cash, a secret stash that appears to be worth a million dollars. The discovery feels like fate—an unexpected windfall that could turn their plans into reality, but it also hints at danger and moral uncertainty.

Tragedy strikes when Jake and Chloe die in what is described as a “rickshaw accident” overseas, a development that casts a shadow over the money and the hosts’ murky financial ties. Richard and Alex begin to worry that the cash isn’t a windfall at all but a target, and their sense of safety is thrown into question. They decide to do the responsible thing and attempt to donate the money, first to Jigme Wangchuck, Alec Mapa, the deputy ambassador of the Embassy of Bhutan, and his assistant Priti Khadga, Tania Gunadi. Yet the embassy officials suspect a setup and refuse the money, leaving the couple unsure of where to place the funds. Undeterred, they deposit the cash somewhere they believe is legitimate, and then shift gears to support another charity, writing a check to “The Porpoise Purpose,” headed by Stuart Hendron, Lance Bass, and his assistant Olivier, Mitch Silpa.

When Logan, the Edendale Realtor, Tom Lenk, reveals that Edendale is back on the market, Richard and Alex see a tempting opportunity to secure the life they want. They want the house, but their funds are tied up in the money they’ve found and then partially funneled into the Porpoise Purpose. In a bid to keep their plans afloat, they stop payment on the Porpoise check and attempt to finance the house with a second mortgage, hoping to repay the charity after escrow closes. The risk escalates as the tension between doing the right thing and seizing a dream grows more intense.

Enter LAPD Detective Diane Kershman, Ana Ortiz, who sees through the gloss and recognizes the darker edges of the situation. She lays out a stark truth: Jake and Chloe were murdered, and the money at the center of this case could be a magnet for killers who don’t care about the orphans they claimed to protect. Richard and Alex, frightened by the possibility that criminals are still after the money, confide in Paige and her husband Cooper, a therapist who doubles as a drug intermediary. Paige, Carrie Wiita, and Cooper, James Urbaniak, realize that the money Jake owed them somehow ended up with the couple, and they convince Richard and Alex to take out a second mortgage once again—but this time in cash. The plan spirals into chaos when a sensational sequence involving a labradoodle kidnapping and a tense hostage situation unfolds, drawing the duo deeper into a criminal web. Paige and Cooper eventually discover the cash hidden in the house and seize it, compounding the complexity of who is owed what and by whom.

Shaken but determined, Richard and Alex sell Edendale to satisfy their obligations and repay the Porpoise Purpose, aided by Detective Kershman’s clear-eyed insistence on accountability. Yet the truth unfolds in a more astonishing direction: Jake and Chloe were in possession of a rare Bhutanese artifact known as the Kuntu Zangpo, valued at ten million dollars, a treasure that Paige and Cooper have also laid claim to. The revelation reframes the entire situation, exposing a web of greed that spans individuals connected to the house, the art world, and even the embassy. The couple act quickly to interrupt Paige and Cooper’s illicit sale to Clay Hampton, Drew Droege, and drag both Paige and Cooper, along with their partner in crime, Sidney, Rick Overton, into a confession. Detective Kershman steps in to arrest Paige and Cooper for a string of offenses, including drug dealing, and she publicly thanks Richard and Alex for helping with the sting and clearing the path to justice.

With justice served, Richard and Alex embark on a far more meaningful journey that makes their earlier dreams feel tangible in a new way. They travel to Bhutan to return the Kuntu Zangpo artifact to its rightful place at the orphanage, where Chana Dorje, Kee Chan, presides over the care of the children. The act of giving feels transformative, and the couple’s bond deepens as they witness the impact of their choice. In a moving turn, they welcome a young boy, Kuenphay, Forrest Wheeler, into their lives, fulfilling a dream of parenthood that was always on the horizon but felt out of reach in the bustle of Los Angeles.

In the end, Richard and Alex’s lives gain a quiet, resonant happiness. They have begun to build the family they longed for, and they have done so with integrity and generosity. Yet a small, human longing lingers: a home of their own. They return from Bhutan with a sense of purpose and a renewed commitment to one another, recognizing that love and family can be more lasting than any grand purchase or perfect address. They are content with the life they’ve created, even as they acknowledge that, for now, a house remains elusive. They couldn’t be happier. Well, maybe they could—if they had a house.