What I liked
The casting was amazing! The chemistry of every relationship felt perfect and real. The actors did a wonderful job! The comic relief (most notably from Molly) didn’t seem forced, contrived, or inappropriate—and neither did the heavy stuff. The dialogue was deliberate and made sense. Unlike many stories about LGBTQ+ characters, nothing felt exploitatively tragic or violent; instead, it was incredibly sincere in both struggle and joy.
What I didn't like
Clunky transitions between relatively short scenes led to an occasional sense of incongruity—I think the story could’ve been captured just as poignantly without that choppiness. The timeline also began to feel a little ambiguous following the high school scenes. I think I might’ve liked to see more of Casey, too, but there’s a lot to fit in the time allotted!
My overall impression
It was the simplicity of Under the Table and Dreaming that struck me. Although the story primarily revolved around Andy and Sid, it was really brought to life by the profound relationships built between each character. I found myself especially moved by how it showed all the places where love grows: between a mother and a son, brother and a sister, a father and a daughter; between resolutely dramatic friends and unlikely ones; and between two men, impossibly different, still healing together.
