Movie Review: ‘Regarding Us’ – A Story of Identity, Connection, and Acceptance

The struggle with identity often goes beyond just how you see yourself and what you feel yourself to be. It is often also about how others see you and how that makes you feel. In the simplest of ways, I believe this is what the film ‘Regarding Us‘ attempts to highlight.

The film written and directed by David Beck and Jennifer Bobbi serves up a tender, introspective drama that dares to examine identity, prejudice and the human need for belonging.

The narrative follows Veronica (played by Alexandra Grey), a Black transgender woman who has spent seven years teaching at a Catholic school. She has done her best at keeping her identity hidden just keep her job. When the school administration finally learns that she is trans, they immediately terminate her employment. As she struggles with depression and starts to contemplate suicide she crosses paths with Denny (played by David Beck), a struggling actor and single father to young Isabel (played by Andrea Rosa Guzman). Denny himself is dealing with the breakup with his boyfriend Adrian (played by Eliud Garcia). Besides struggling with this from his daughter he has faced financial strains that all add to his emotional woes.

David Beck and Andrea Rosa Guzman in Regarding Us (2024)

Alexandra Grey delivers a very convincing performance in her role as Veronica. Her performance captures in good detail the struggles that Veronica is faced with dealing with the loss of her job and the seemingly mental battle she has to deal with concerning her faith and her choice of identity. The young Andrea Rosa Guzman also absolutely nails her character Isabel. The naivety, innocence and strong will are all a delight to see.

These two characters essentially capture the film’s core of resilience and the quiet but profound ways in which people can heal one another.

David Beck besides co-writing and co-directing brings to bear a solid enough performance as Denny. The few moments of emotional display that he has, either when he is how hurt or shows the confliction he is faced when Adrian returns all feel genuine. All the supporting cast also contribute some depth to the narrative as well.

What begins as an unlikely connection soon develops into something more significant. When Veronica starts looking after Isabel, their bond helps her rediscover a sense of purpose. Isabel, in turn, befriends Kyle (played by Hudson Paul), a classmate who is grappling with his own gender identity under the watchful and unforgiving eye of his religious mother and his mean older brother. Even with his struggles, Denny remains a support system for his daughter and Veronica as well.

Through these relationships, this narrative weaves a rich tapestry of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of human connection. The film succinctly offers a portrayal of some of the struggles and triumphs within the LGBTQ+ community.

The film tries its best not to be another story positioning its characters as victims seeking validation and acceptance from a society that is failing to accept them. Rather they all in several ways show as symbols of love and inspiration and it does this subtly without being particularly preachy. Also, it doesn’t feel like it is trying to force the acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons down anyone’s throat. Even with its themes about the church’s and faith’s role in acceptance, it does its best not to be condescending. It allows the viewer to be clear in their thinking and interpretation of its themes albeit their prejudices.

Aesthetically also, it keeps everything modest. From sights to sounds it does attempt to be anything more than it should be, which is a melodramatic indie. David Beck and Jennifer Bobbi do their best to keep the narrative equally simple in the storytelling. There are no complex plot twists, arcs or manipulations to force an emotional connection to the film’s story and its characters. However, it does quite seem a bit too plain and straightforward. Perhaps, it could have been made a bit weightier with some intentional pull on the parts of the story that could have built up some more intensity with some dramatic showdowns.

Nonetheless, ‘Regarding Us‘ is a decently made indie film that inspires the need for love, connection and acceptance in all forms. I will score it 6.5/10. By the time it ends, it leaves you with enough to ponder over reminding us that no matter how difficult the word might be, there will always be the need for good people willing to be there not only to understand but to accept our struggles.