WATCH: A couple faces homophobic neighbors from hell in this provocative Italian drama

It’s probably a sign of these increasingly divisive times that the word “neighbor” doesn’t have the same friendly connotation it used to.

With that in mind, it should be no surprise that a film hitting theaters in 2023 called The Neighbor isn’t exactly a breezy comedy.

In fact, Italian filmmaker Pasquale Marrazzo’s The Neighbor is quite a harrowing drama, but one with resonant and relevant themes for a modern queer audience that make it well worth a watch.

In the film, Michele Costabile and Jacopo Costantini play Luca and Riki, respectively, a young gay couple who can’t keep their hands off each other. Very much in love, they’ve created a perfect little bubble of happiness for themselves.

But, just outside that bubble, there’s a group of neo-Nazis in their neighborhood who taunt and terrorize the couple every chance they get. After a particularly stressful run-in, Luca suggests the pair move to a safer place, while Riki would rather they stand their ground and just ignore the hateful bullies.

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One day, Riki gets a call from Luca’s sister—it turns out, he was badly beaten by the neo-Nazis, left for dead, and is now in a coma at the hospital. Riki can’t help but feel guilty; had they moved like Luca suggested, this may have never happened to him.

The incident also brings their families together, quick to band around their sons in a time of need. But further tensions spring up from there, as it only becomes more and more clear that some of their loved ones have been harboring uneasy feelings about the relationship.

So, yes, as we were saying: The Neighbor sounds like a tough watch, but it’s an important one—one that doesn’t shy away from the realities of being out and proud in this modern world.

The Neighbor opens in select U.S. theaters on June 2, and will be available on digital/DVD on June 6 via Dark Star Pictures and Uncork’d Entertainment. Watch the trailer below: