In a world where queer representation often veers toward the romantic or sexual, A Night Like This shines a refreshing light on a much-needed narrative: platonic connection. There’s no will-they-won’t-they tension, no steamy love affair or climactic kiss. Instead, the film delivers a poignant, funny, and beautifully raw exploration of friendship between two men, Lukas (Jack Brett Anderson) and Oliver (Alexander Lincoln), who meet by chance and form an unlikely but life-altering bond over the course of one adventurous night in London.
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Anderson and Lincoln, both veterans of the LGBTQ+ film scene, bring their characters to life with remarkable chemistry. Anderson, making his debut at the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, plays Lukas, a struggling actor who’s just as lost in his personal life as he is in his career. Lincoln, who made waves with his role in In from the Side, returns to the festival with a character that’s as complex as he is charming—Oliver, a man who appears to have it all but is secretly grappling with his own identity.
The film opens with a chance encounter in a pub. What begins as a slightly awkward exchange quickly morphs into a night-long escapade across London, full of deep conversations, laughter, and a few accidental revelations. Yet, it’s not the kind of movie where characters are doomed to fall in love. No, what’s compelling here is the deep, vulnerable connection these two men form—something that’s often left on the cutting room floor in favor of romantic subplots.
“Sex is a baseline of life, for sure. But it can get in the way in film,” says Lincoln, echoing a sentiment that permeates the entire story. The film isn’t concerned with pushing the boundaries of sexual tension; it’s more interested in exploring the rawness of human interaction. “What these characters are actually doing is connecting. So often we lose that aspect, just making friends. It sounds ridiculous, but that’s essentially what it is.”
Anderson agrees. “There are moments that these guys could go their own way because they don’t owe each other anything other than the need and want to connect or feel wanted by someone,” he says. A Night Like This highlights the power of just being with someone without the weight of expectation. In a society driven by instant gratification through smartphones and shallow digital connections, the film invites its viewers to slow down, listen, and connect.
The real beauty of A Night Like This lies in the way it handles self-discovery. Lukas and Oliver are both in different stages of figuring out who they are. For Oliver, his journey is more literal—he starts off appearing like a “classic straight guy” in a white t-shirt and leather jacket, guitar slung over his shoulder. But over the course of the night, the layers of that image begin to peel away, and Oliver starts questioning everything from his sexuality to his sense of self.
In a particularly poignant moment, Lincoln offers his own perspective on Oliver’s internal journey: “I don’t think he’s ever necessarily said to himself, ‘I am fundamentally straight.’ I don’t believe he’s ever actually asked himself that question either as he’d been with women. And then he meets someone he feels akin to. There’s someone who shares his identity in that, and as a result, there’s this immediate attraction.”
This moment of introspection is a striking reflection of Lincoln’s own experience, as he first publicly addressed his sexuality in 2023. In a broader sense, A Night Like This mirrors the journey many of us undertake—a slow, deliberate peeling back of layers to discover the truth about who we are, no matter how complicated or difficult that truth may be.
While Oliver embarks on his self-discovery, Lukas finds a glimmer of hope in their connection, realizing that not all men are the selfish, emotionally unavailable stereotypes we so often see portrayed. For him, Oliver represents the possibility that men can be good, vulnerable, and caring.
In a particularly touching description of their friendship, Anderson likens it to “Tetris-ing. You know, clicking in [together].” The two men fit together in a way that feels like destiny, even though the audience isn’t rooting for them to become a couple. Instead, it’s about taking a risk on someone, finding that person who helps you see the world—or yourself—differently.
The lack of a romantic plot only gives the characters more room for growth. As the night unfolds, both Lukas and Oliver transform—emotionally, psychologically, and perhaps even spiritually. What they find in each other is not a perfect soulmate, but a mirror, reflecting back all the parts of themselves they had buried or overlooked.
The film also has a quiet yet powerful message about vulnerability. “Nine times out of ten when you’re scared of something, it’s never as bad as you think,” Anderson notes. Lukas becomes more himself as he reveals his fears and insecurities, and Oliver follows suit. Lincoln adds, “There’s an element of people pulling back because it gets vulnerable. And that vulnerability is so human. That’s what I want people to take away, to embrace your vulnerability.”
By the end of the film, it’s not the chemistry between Lukas and Oliver that leaves the audience moved, but the gentle reminder that sometimes, what we need most is not to fall in love, but to connect. To talk. To listen. To truly see each other.
The film is a call to embrace vulnerability, to take risks, and to recognize the beauty in simple, unassuming connections. It’s a reminder that, in a world obsessed with immediacy and perfection, there’s something profoundly human in taking the time to truly be with another person, no strings attached.
As for Lincoln’s reflections on his breakout role in In from the Side, which continues to empower audiences, especially those coming out, the actor mentions that he still gets messages from people thanking the film for helping them embrace their truth. And though his schedule is busy—he’s set to star in Billy Porter’s This Bitter Earth in London this summer—Lincoln teases that the possibility of a sequel to In from the Side is very much alive.
But for now, we can enjoy the beautifully raw storytelling of A Night Like This—a film that proves the most transformative connections don’t always come with a kiss. Sometimes, they come in the form of a conversation, a late-night adventure, and a willingness to open up.
A Night Like This is screening at BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival on 28 and 29 March.
Source: PinkNews