WATCH: A finance bro has a big gay secret in this British indie drama

Ah, roommates. Can’t live with ’em and—if you had the means to—you’d rather live without ’em.

The British indie Makeup puts that shared-space tension front and center, bringing together two men from very different walks of life.

When introverted French ex-chef Sacha (Hugo André) moves to London to begin a new career as a food critic, he needs a place to stay. By chance, he finds a room for rent in a townhouse owned by young-but-powerful stockbroker, Dan (Will Masheter), and suddenly this odd couple is living together.

Despite his cold finance bro persona, Dan proves to be a welcoming host to the uneasy Sacha. But, the minute the tenant finds himself around Dan’s colleagues, the mood shifts, and the pair are at the blunt end of a number of thinly veiled homophobic jokes about living together.

Things are complicated further by the fact that Dan has a big secret, one he’s trying to keep even from his new roommate. By day, he’s a stock trader, but by night he’s a gorgeous drag burlesque performer who lights up the stage with some stunning dance moves.

Will Dan be found out? Can he find it within him to open up to Sacha about his undercover hobby? And, are we just imagining things here, or is there something of a romantic spark growing between the two?

Makeup‘s trailer (seen below) obfuscates the truth about either character’s sexuality, but regardless there are some relevant queer themes at play here. Even if Dan identifies heterosexual, he sure is living out some queer fantasies by donning a bob wig, some blue eye shadow, and a brassiere to shimmy on stage for men, right?

Clearly, this all comes from some place personal for stars André and Masheter, who co-wrote the script (André directs). In a press statement, the filmmaker says he is drawn to “the trials and tribulations of friendship and the impact that certain relationships can have on not only your personality but also on your mental health.”

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So, maybe Sacha and Dan really are just pals, in which case Makeup presents itself as an all-too-rare film about male friendship and intimacy, one unburdened by the rigid limits of masculinity. Sounds fascinating to us!

After a festival run that included the Lonely Wolf International Film Fest and the Paris International Film Festival, Makeup will now hit digital platforms in North America on June 27.

You can check out the latest trailer for Makeup here:

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