Justin Lo's debut film, The Conrad Boys, is an introspective story of strong family ties and first time gay love that has caused quite a buzz in gay film circles. The film recently screened at New York's 18th annual Newfest LGBT Film Festival on June 7th with Lo attending to discuss the film with festival-goers. 

Charlie Conrad (played by Justin Lo) is a somewhat nerdy 19 year-old of Asian-Jewish heritage. Following the sudden death of his mother, Charlie sets aside his college plans to raise his precocious yet troubled 9-year-old brother Ben Conrad (played by Boo Boo Stewart).

Plagued with a haunting guilt, and inflicting a kind of self-isolation on himself, Charlie assumes the huge responsibility of parenting Ben alone. Doing the best he can, he tries to be both mother and father to his only sibling. Yet Charlie secretly yearns for freedom, romance, and the opportunity to go off to college.

Charlie's constrained life is interrupted abruptly by two major complications. First, his long-absent father Doug Conrad (Barry Shay) reappears as he seeks to rekindle his own fatherly role with both Ben and Charlie.

Secondly, a charismatic drifter (and possible scoundrel) named Jordan Rivers (Nick Bartzen) enters Charlie's life. The two bond instantly, and Jordan's charm and undeniable sex appeal gradually awaken Charlie's muted homosexuality.

Theirs is a relationship not unlike that of Bill Starbuck and Lizzie Curry in The Rainmaker. Poor workaholic Charlie tries to convince himself that his proper place is at home--parenting his younger brother Ben. But romantic con man Jordan has instilled in Charlie a newfound yearning for freedom, love and escape.

The three powerful male figures in Charlie's life--Doug, Jordan, and little Ben--all oppose each other, each exerting their own pull on Charlie's soul. From within this difficult situation, Charlie must search inside himself to make momentous decisions regarding both his and his family's future.

Appearing in person to promote The Conrad Boys at Filmfest's June 7th screening, Justin Lo told the enthusiastic audience that his film is a story of “firsts”. “It's about first love,” he said. “And it's also my first film”. 

Then he noted, “Even considering Brokeback Mountain, The Conrad Boys is one of the few serious gay films around.”

It's a sentiment with which it is easy to agree. In a gay film festival characterized by zany, over-the-top, hyper-gay comedies and cartoons such as Another Gay Movie, Queer Duck and Strangers With Candy, the subtle, deeply personal and heartfelt story of the The Conrad Boys is a stand out.

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