90 Days

Blue is shy, sincere, a little surly; his friend Alex, conversely, is a full-blooded philanderer, ludicrously unable to comprehend why his wife has thrown him out and his mistress won't see him. So far so simple, but Giles Walker's gently probing comedy of masculine manners soon breaks away from such polarities. The self-centred Blue invites over from Korea a woman he's never met, courtesy of a mail-order catalogue, but is too hung-up to come clean about their relationship; while Alex's macho pride softens into confusion and fear as soon as he is approached by a mysterious young woman offering $10,000 for his sperm. 90 Days - the visa period the Canadian authorities allow Blue and Hyang-Sook to make up their minds about marriage - avoids making judgments; Walker is content simply to observe his creations with warmth and honesty. It is all largely charming, and the quiet performances ensure involvement.