Pride month always brings in the most exciting films into the Film Threat office. They’re unlike the usual movies we get throughout the year—intentionally out of the norm and compelling in very unexpected ways. Victor Neumark’s First Blush is a testament to this fact. Neumark takes on the subject of the three-person relationship. Rather than turn it into an erotic thriller, he finds joy, complication, and humanity.
Nena (Rachel Alig) and Drew (Ryan Caraway) are in an overly-comfortable marriage. Nena asserts a great deal of control over her life, and Drew is in the background more than willing to assists. The question is whether being comfortable in a relationship equates to being in love.
“…Nena and Drew invite Olivia to share their tent, and Nena and Olivia share a late-night kiss…”
Back to control issues, Nena’s having a particularly off-night as her best friends, John (Christopher Moaney-Lawson) and Carrie (Jordee Kopanski), have thrown her surprise birthday party. As Nena struggles to survive the anxiety-filled night, she can’t help but become enraptured by a stranger from across the room, Olivia (Kate Beecroft). Olivia becomes a source of distraction for her and, in a quiet moment, Nena and Olivia chat…and chat…and chat.
Later that weekend, Nena and Drew reluctantly accept John and Carrie’s invitation to go camping and, lo and behold, Olivia has come along too. Long story short, Nena and Drew invite Olivia to share their tent, and Nena and Olivia share a late-night kiss late while Drew is sleeping.
"…trying to make sense of their worlds, and a symbiotic and unconventional relationship develops..."
