Come As You Are

By: Michael Sun Lee

Come As You Are is a funny yet very human road trip story about three physically disabled men, who after meeting at a physical therapy facility, decide to take a “field trip” to Canada.  And they all have a specific goal in mind, to lose their virginity at a brothel in Montreal that caters to servicing the disabled. However, they must do it unbeknownst to their overprotecting and loving parents.

A plan is then hatched and the troupe employ a no-nonsense nurse to drive them across the border in a special van. Although their journey North is not without circumstantial and personal snafus along the way, the odd squad eventually learn to work together to reach their destination. Scotty (Grant Rosenmeyer) is the humor, Matt (Hayden Szeto) is the hunk, Mo (Ravi Patel) is the heart and Sam (Gabourey Sidibe) is their handler.

Together, while avoiding their parents’ inquiry and investigation into their escape from home, they find freedom, introspection, themselves and each other. Do they even reach their destination and goal?  I’ll say this, it is the journey and not the necessarily destination that makes this film a great entertaining story.  Richard Wong’s seamless direction of this wonderful cast just lets the funny and life-changing journey unfold with an ending that sprouts new beginnings.

Great performances all around. Janeane Garafalo, C.S. Lee and Jennifer Jelsema are the supporting cast.  I definitely recommend this film inspired by a true story and you will know why after you see it!