Just like the memoir this is based on, the film lets you know right up front that the boyfriend (Ben Aldridge) is going to die. That leaves the rest of the movie to watch their relationship develop. Jim Parsons plays the other half (and narrates), a mild-mannered writer who ends up with the handsome guy “out of his league.” When they’re meeting and falling in love, the dialogue and their chemistry keeps it interesting and upbeat. Needless to say, when the illness starts, things get heavy. Surprisingly, even with a touching final scene, the emotional impact was not hankie-worthy. The premise is very Hallmark and the result pretty much stays in that mold without much to make it memorable. NOTE: Stay thru the early credits for a short video of the real guy. 
(2.5 / 5)
