Filmed in and around Chicago. C. M. Birkmeier's no-budget film centers on a turbulent relationship between Kurt (Kyle Wigent), and Paul (Tanner Rittenhouse). They begin the film with their affair completely "in bloom," as the title suggests; but then Kurt declares openly to Paul that he is no longer in love. Whether that is actually true or not is a moot point; by the film's end, when Kurt is the unwitting witness to an horrific murder, he actually discovers the true meaning of fidelity and loyalty.The plot is a familiar one, but director Birkmeier reinvigorates it through a suggestive cinematic style. His stock-in-trade is the flat two-shot framing Kurt and Paul as they eat Chinese food, play video games, or sit in bed. This might suggest closeness, but can also denote imprisonment; hence Kurt's desire to escape the relationship. Yet Birkmeier also uses the aerial shot looking down on the two lovers as they lie in bed together. They seem quite far distant from the camera - a fitting metaphor, perhaps, for the state of their affair. On another occasion he films them making love to one another; they are actually lying horizontally in bed, but Birkmeier shoots them from the side and then turns the image through forty-five degrees, making it seem as if they are standing up, having a "quickie" before moving on.On other occasions Birkmeier uses locations to suggest the sterility of the protagonists' existence. Paul spends his days in a grocery- store filling shelves and exchanging desultory conversation with co- worker Eddie (Jake Andrews). Meanwhile Kurt visits several groups of youngsters to sell them weed; while making a lot of ready money from the deals, he does not seem to enjoy it very much. Or maybe he is just frightened of engagement with anyone, whether boyfriends or others.Critics might accuse IN BLOOM of giving a stereotyped portrait of a gay community as promiscuous, drug-addicted and hedonistic. This is perhaps a little too censorious: Birkmeier seems more interested in the emptiness of his characters' existences as they move aimlessly from party to party without any real aim in life. This is the main reason for Paul and Kurt's break-up; while they claim to have each other, they both realize that the relationship will not get anywhere.

It was hard for me to find this movie and now I understand why.First of all, the two protagonists are not good actors...well, "Paul" is not good and "Kurt" is terrible and the worst part is that I guess he's the one we should care about the most since he has more screen time (throwing glasses with a cliché closeup to the broken vase and shaking his shoulders while pretending to be crying).At the beginning it is stated that some months have past, however if you had not read that, you could never tell because there is no sense of urgency or a better editing (or characterization) to show it instead of saying it. (Even in the flashback to when they had their first kiss they look the same).I don't get what Kurt is supposed to be afraid of. Paul suggested going to Paris...OK? With what money? It didn't sound like a realistic proposal. Was it the "we do the same thing all the time"? Because Paul said he wanted more than drinking and smoking but they kept bumping into each at every party, so I guess he didn't mean that either. Was it "Kevin"? No, Kurt describes him as a not serious thing. So, why the hell did he want to break up so much to then go back to Paul even though nothing had changed and just a few days later (again, this could have happened many months later but how can I tell?). Another thing is the killer subplot. What a waste of time.The only redeemable thing was Eddie. That's a far more likable and interesting character in all his creepiness. The character is just weird and the actor playing it does a good job and it's engaging, unlike the leading players. You can feel how the rhythm changes because of him (in a similar way like Penelope Cruz lifting the whole Vicky Cristina Barcelona).It is not that long, but it feels like it will never end.

But not an altogether bad movie!Here we have Kurt & Paul who seem to have developed a life together successfully but from the start the viewer is aware of a tension in the relationship. Kurt sells drugs and Paul seems distant and depressed. Things come to a head when Paul suspects Kurt is 'seeing another'! All the while the background story is there's a serial killer somewhere in the city.Paul wants a simpler domestic life while Kurt want to go party. You know the relationship is doomed. And at movies end you don't really know if these to actually get back together but a murder brings them back together - if only momentarily.It's a good story but some of the acting is lacking and the plot gets repetitious at one point.

This indie, gay based drama has been compared to Brit, indie hit 'Weekend'. I can see the comparisons but actually found this to be a better story. It is about two men Paul and Kurt, the film starts out with them meeting at a party and it is clear that they are somewhat 'estranged'; we then go back seven months to when their love was clearly 'in bloom' and find out how they got to this stage. Whilst Paul worked in a supermarket to pay the bills, Kurt was a drug dealer and got to meet a lot of laid back people – some might say too laid back. A chance encounter then starts the clock ticking on the road to separation. We also have a back story of a serial killer who is targeting lone men. What we then have is the painful deterioration of the two lovers relationship and I have to sat it was done completely convincingly. Things never just end and this was like watching nails being hammered into the coffin of their shared love.I found this completely absorbing even though it was far from being a 'feel good' movie. Quite the contrary; it dealt with an aspect of relationships that is all too often ignored and that is the breakdown. Director Chris Michael-Birkmeier has made a very good film and has also got two excellent performances from his leading men Kyle Wigent as Kurt and Tanner Rittenhouse as Paul – both of them virtual unknowns but both showing great ability. Not a bedroom fest more a study of a relationship past its best and if you are up for a challenging, intelligent and very human story then you could do a lot worse than giving this one a chance – recommended.