I'LL SHOW YOU MINE -- Too Close for Comfort

Review by Joseph Fayed

I'll Show You Mine is a unique take on rehashing familial trauma and our relationships with family. Under the helm of Director Megan Griffiths and produced by the Duplass Brothers, is a film that, while worthy of praise for its honesty for discussing these topics openly, makes some confusing creative decisions that tamper with the film's integrity. 

The plot follows Nic, a former male model and current "porn cartoonist," as he meets with his Aunt Priya to discuss her latest novel about Nic's former modeling career. The conversation takes unexpected turns, and the two discover secrets about each other in their conversation, which range from sex to infidelity and the boundaries surrounding them. 

We see the brightest red flag immediately upon learning these two characters are aunt and nephew. While their relationship is written to lay the groundwork for their years-long appreciation for each other, in spite of how the rest of the family treats them. Nic and Priya are supposed to have a deep admiration considering the abuse both have suffered, but that curtails into kink fantasies real fast. Their relationship, even if it is by marriage, makes these cringeworthy remarks uncomfortable to hear. 

The film is confined to one setting, and its only characters are Nic and Priya. This intimate play-like atmosphere removes all third party distractions. Stripped from everything else, the two leads build off of such awkward tension quite well. I wouldn't consider their performances to be poor acting, with the perplex range of emotion their characters feel. Both disappear in their roles, and neither the pansexual ex-model nor feminist author feels like they aren't rubbing off each other. 

Nic and his character's agency are the most troubling plot element that's left with a rapid conclusion. Nic's revelations about his abuse and the exploitation he felt during his modeling career are underdeveloped. Towards the end of his meeting with Priya, we learn the real reason he quit modeling. The film skips around his pansexuality and reclaiming himself on his own terms and his hypersexual nature. None of these get the focus they deserve, yet Priya only has one element of her past focused on, and it's focused on heavily from the start. Nic's character development is meant to be a work in progress, but his third act reveal feels like it was done purely for shock. 

I'll Show You Mine tries too much to say nothing at all. Intercut with animated title cards, it does nothing to elevate this story about an aunt and nephew from scattered ideas about sexual liberation in light of trauma. Unless you're Sam Levinson, I doubt you will be enticed by that. ​

​I'll Show You Mine is now in theaters and on VOD.

Rating: 2/5