Film Review: SPOILER ALERT (2022): Jim Parsons Excels in a Heartwarming Dramedy with Tender Emotions

Spoiler Alert Review

Spoiler Alert (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Michael Showalter, written by David Marshall Grant and Dan Savage and starring Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Sally Field, Bill Irwin, Sadie Scott, Josh Pals, Allegra Heart, Jeffery Self, Braxton Fannin, Brody Caines, Tara Summers, Nikki M. James, Eleni Yiovas, Jason Gotay, Nhumi Threadgill and David Marshall Grant.

Jim Parsons has found the role of his career in Michael Showalter’s deeply moving new comedic drama, Spoiler Alert. Parsons has true leading man characteristics that help his performance rise above everyone else’s work in this picture. Even an old pro like Oscar-winner Sally Field is pretty much just in the background here although it’s great to see Field working again. This movie is clearly Parsons’ show all the way through and he wins the audience’s hearts even when the movie treads on some familiar ground. Cast opposite Parsons as his love interest is Ben Aldridge. In contrast to Parsons’ work in the movie, Aldridge plays second fiddle but still comes up with an effective performance nevertheless.

Parsons plays the part of Michael Ausiello who is the author of the book on which this film is based. There are scenes of a younger Michael (Brody Caines) interspersed throughout the picture where he is sitting on a couch watching soap operas on television with a mother-like figure (Tara Summers). These sequences are among the weakest segments of the movie and barely work at all. All of these parts could have been eliminated without affecting much of the quality of the film overall. These scenes probably add just a little bit of depth in terms of establishing Michael’s interest in television which led him to his career in the movie with TV Guide. Otherwise, they could have been edited out.

When Michael meets Kit Cowan (Aldridge), his whole world changes. Michael and Kit grow to enjoy each other’s company as Michael comes to Kit’s apartment where his female roommate, Kirby (a well-cast Sadie Scott) also resides. Michael isn’t too comfortable with intimacy in terms of getting undressed but he and Kit do become romantically involved. When Kit goes by Michael’s place, there’s quite a bit of awkwardness as Michael has an apartment totally immersed in Smurfs memorabilia. Those pesky blue Smurfs are everywhere which does come off as a bit odd to Kit but he learns to accept Michael’s childish obsession with buying Smurfs stuff on eBay.

We meet Kit’s colorful parents. Kit’s mom is Marilyn (Field) and she likes to knit a lot. Both she and her husband don’t know Kit is gay. Eventually, Kit comes out and tells his folks. Kit’s dad, Bob (Bill Irwin) hilariously says he and Marilyn are pretty hip and can accept this fact. There are also some fun moments of Michael and Kit in therapy together that are quite funny.

Years pass and Kit gets terminal cancer which challenges his relationship with Michael. Throughout the years, the couple of lovers manage to get through a lot of obstacles but, now, they’ve hit a wall which will truly make them appreciate every day they spend together.

There’s nothing that would have been more endearing than watching Parsons and Aldridge’s romantic chemistry in this film and learning more about their characters. Instead, the movie focuses a lot on Kit’s parents. That’s not a bad thing but it shifts the focus off the couple’s relationship. On the same token, this attention paid to the parents is realistic. Field revels in her hilarious and poignant scenes throughout the picture. She’s a jogger, a knitter and she loves her son and grows to love Michael as well.

Michael and Kit are not wealthy characters by any stretch and it’s refreshing to see the depiction of a true-to-life relationship based on mutual needs and genuine affection rather than simply based on money or sex. It was particularly effective when Michael stands up for Kit at the hospital demanding his lover be given a bed to lay in while he gets the treatment he needs. Parsons is fantastic in this scene but he’s pretty marvelous throughout the whole movie. Michael is a kind person with a big heart although he’s a bit childish but he learns to grow up during the course of the movie and it’s an effective character transformation well performed by the always reliable Parsons.

Spoiler Alert falls apart a bit in the last moments. There’s too much focus on Michael’s television obsession and when a scene cuts away to reveal a surprise development, it’s a bit tacky because the emotions of the film were building really well. However, the movie saves face with a heartwarming conclusion. “Dancing on my Own” is a song nicely incorporated into the soundtrack too.

I liked this movie because Parsons was relatable. He carries a lot of the film on his shoulders. It’s not that the rest of the cast is less than stellar, it’s just that Parsons has a remarkable cinematic quality as an actor. His eyes help convey his emotions and Michael is simply portrayed to perfection throughout the entire movie. Aldridge shines in a less showy role but he keeps his character interesting throughout the whole movie.

If Spoiler Alert is less than perfect, Parsons is still absolutely perfect in the picture. How much you enjoy this movie depends a lot on how much of a romantic you are. The more romantic you are, the more you will love Spoiler Alert. It’s a good film.

Rating: 7.5/10

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