I Really Love My Husband

A remarkably honest and unflinching commentary on love, intimacy, passion, and what makes a functional relationship. **I REALLY LOVE MY HUSBAND** -- from its opening scene, until its fateful conclusion -- takes us into directions usually undiscovered in other films – and I applaud this debut by writer and director GG Hawkins for the bold choices it makes. When the act of 'falling in love' relies on idealized expectations of achieving ones' happily-ever-after (thank you, Disney), it naturally becomes all too easy to be swept up in the time-honored traditions of love and all its’ cultural accoutrements. After all the fanfare and loved-up fervor has died down, Teresa, played by Madison Lanesey-- a character whose likeability will be challenging to audiences -- finally summons the courage to give her 3-year marriage a hard but honest look with a long overdue honeymoon to the tropics of Panama with her husband, Drew, played by Travis Quentin Young. If physical intimacy is the veritable canary in the mine for couples, it doesn't take long to see the canary in this relationship struggling to breathe more than the passenger with a nut allergy on their outgoing flight! (Foreshadowing?) Equally frustrating to Teresa is the fact that husband Drew is just so damn likeable - a fact that adds a lot of doubt to Teresa's feelings. If she doesn't see what others’ see in her husband -- is she the problem? Faced with these doubts about herself and her husband who appears oblivious to her concerns, the two befriend local Panamanian rental host Paz (played by newcomer Arta Gee in her first featured role).  Teresa, seeking to inject something new into her prosaic relationship with her husband, surprises Drew after suggesting they invite Paz for a ménage à trois. Within this proposal, Teresa encourages Drew to have his own experiences outside their marriage if he is so inclined. As the three characters come together, their coupling with Paz inevitably reveals the true extent of the dysfunctionality of their marriage and the depth of the gulf between them. **I REALLY LOVE MY HUSBAND** is a bold statement on love and marriage in the 21st century, with phenomenal performances from its primary cast. Lanesey as the questioning, unfulfilled and despairing spouse is the emotional heart of the film, and she gives a powerful portrayal of a woman unsure of what to do and desperate to save something she no longer feels, despite what so many others can see. Young is adorable as the charming, obliviously happy husband who seemingly doesn’t share any of Teresa’s doubts. Near the end of the film, when Paz forces the two to work out their differences, what results from Lanesey and Young’s showdown provides an unforgettable glimpse that punctuates their relationship as only it should. Hawkins’ has refreshingly subverted the genre’s rom-com expectations with her brilliant script, and meticulous direction in a film that reminds me of the ending to Mike Nichols’ all-time 1967 classic **THE GRADUATE**. It takes courage to deliver an ending that conventional audiences might not expect or even want – and everything in **I REALLY LOVE MY HUSBAND** sparkles with authenticity from the direction, its’ exotic location, the characters, the performances from its main cast and its bittersweet conclusion. Soon to be released to stream at APPLE TV+ and Amazon on November 4, 2025—for which I highly recommend!