Marriage is a lovely idea when you’re in love, but it becomes unbearable once you start faking the sunshine. Throw in a possible three-way thingy into that kind of chaos, and there’s really no saving grace left. G.G. Hawkins’ debut, I Really Love My Husband, captures the slow unraveling of a relationship with such raw honesty that anyone who’s ever loved past the point of reason will see a bit of themselves in it. The film lives in the silences, in those tiny shifts of body language and tone that say more than words ever could. It’s beautifully written, achingly familiar, and, for me at least, a firm reminder of why I’ll never romanticize sharing a partner with a third person. Beyond the emotional wreckage at its core, I Really Love My Husband thrives on its performances. All three leads, Madison Lanesey, Arta Gee, and Travis Quentin Young, deserve massive credit. The film’s poster might trick you into expecting a breezy rom-com, but what unfolds is far more layered; it’s a refreshingly honest take on love and disillusionment that feels like a big win for the indie scene. Shot on the breathtaking Panama Island, every frame glows like it costs a fortune, which makes the crumbling marriage at its center even more ironic. Watching love fall apart against such postcard-perfect beauty feels both cruel and brilliant, a cool reminder that even paradise can’t save two people who aren’t meant to be with each other.
Spoilers Ahead
What happens in the film?
Drew and Teresa are a newly married couple, and the film opens with Teresa in her wedding dress, telling herself that she really, really loves her husband. Now from the very beginning you get the sense that Teresa is convincing herself that she’s happy being married to Drew because how else can you post about your wonderful marriage on social media? However, the couple decide to go on a honeymoon after a year of marriage, and their personalities can’t be more different and incompatible. Teresa likes to work on her mental health, and however shallow her practices might be, you have to empathize with a woman trying to stay sane. Drew, on the other hand, is basically a golden retriever who talks to everybody, asks them about their day, and literally snitches on his wife for bringing a peanut bar after saving an allergic patient on the plane. They met on Craigslist when he was selling a lamp that belonged to his grandmother, and she offered the lowest price. He texted her after a week of holding himself back, and then things just went how they usually go. But now, almost a year into their marriage, I guess both of them sense some cracks, and this honeymoon in the quaint island of Panama is supposed to give them both a fresh start, but when the cracks are visible, a mere vacation can never be the solution, right?
Why does Teresa want to Share Her Husband?
Teresa seems visibly annoyed with Drew over the incident on the flight, and as they hop on a boat to reach the island, even then she resents Drew for talking to the boat guy rather than her, which seems pretty reasonable to be annoyed about. But the pristine beach distracts her for a bit, and just as she takes off her clothes, the host of the resort, Paz, walks in. Paz is a local of the area, has a nice buzz cut, and seems like a good person to have as your host. Teresa starts having meltdowns over the fact that Drew behaves too nicely with everyone, which makes her feel like there’s something wrong with her for having a likable husband. But instead of acknowledging her, Drew just tries to shove it under the rug. They talk and talk, but there’s just no way for them to end up on the same page. That’s when Teresa comes up with the idea of seducing Paz. She thinks sharing their bed with a third person can really spice up their relationship, and Drew is worried that she’s thinking of having an open marriage, which is not the case. Teresa even says that if Drew wants to have his own “experience” with Paz, she’s okay with that, and the couple soon grows close to Paz and hangs out with them all the time. But it’s mostly Teresa who’s buzzing around Paz, while Drew feels like she’s slipping out of his hands.
How does Teresa make Her Desire happen?
After spending a whole day with Paz, Teresa thinks about talking to Paz about the idea she’s had, but that’s when a girl named Kiki shows up, and Paz calls her My Kiki. Both of them think that Paz and Kiki are together. What’s interesting is that even though Drew wasn’t all that interested in sleeping with Paz, he appears evidently horny about Kiki. She came to the island as a participant in a reality show, and she was voted out on the very first night. After that, she just decided to stay, and that’s how she came across Paz. But when Teresa starts to get annoyed at Kiki and how she’s hogging Paz all to herself, Paz understands and tells Teresa that they’re not together. Meanwhile, Kiki and Drew bond really well. Later that night, Drew brings up the idea of him having an “experience” with Kiki, and Teresa is visibly uncomfortable with this idea. She doesn’t outright reject it, but you can sense how much she’ll hate Drew if he goes down that road. Teresa and Drew have a good coitus session that night, and she changes her mind about the three-thingy arrangement the next morning. When she tells Drew about the same, he says that doesn’t want to back out now.
Frustrated and angry at both herself and Drew, Teresa grabs on the sand and lets the small waves of water crash into her body. Paz comes in with a picnic bag as they’re going to a secret island for the day, and amidst all this, Teresa loses her wedding ring. I don’t need to tell you how impossible it is to find a ring on the beach, and Teresa cries a lot. When Paz tries to comfort her and asks her if she can do something to help, I don’t feel anybody is guessing wrong what happens next. Three of them sleep together, and Drew takes off to make breakfast while Paz and Teresa stay in bed.
How does the magic chocolate destroy Teresa and Drew’s marriage?
Both Teresa and Drew are probably shooting serotonin, and Drew makes pancakes while grooving like it’s the best day of his life; it probably is. They love the pancakes, but it also gets them incredibly high. Teresa finds herself in front of the mirror gasping at how happy she is, while Drew reveals that he used the chocolate bar from Paz’s bag to make pancakes. Paz tells Drew that it was not ordinary chocolate, and it was laced with drugs. All of them start laughing, and everything is happy and sunshine. Paz leaves, and the couple spend a good day together. But when the sun bids farewell, Teresa wants to go dancing, and Drew feels sick and decides to stay back.
At the bar, Teresa meets Kiki, who saw them kissing Paz earlier. Kiki is an odd character, in a very Phoebe way. She tells Teresa that Paz has this habit of sleeping with couples, and while the couples might think it’s magical and unique, to Paz, it’s almost part of the job. Kiki does hint that getting Paz alone is the actual magical thing, and now Teresa really wants to get Paz all for herself. While she waits at the bar hoping Paz will show up, Drew finds them readying the boat for their trip to a secret island. Drew tells Paz about how Teresa said she’d be happy if they had their own experience, and Paz and Drew now sleep together. When Teresa comes back, with all the repressed sexual urge, she wants to release it with Drew, but he’s already had his meal. When Drew tells Teresa about it the next day, Teresa is livid. She already doubted the idea and wanted to back out, and now that her husband has slept with Paz, it completely sends her sanity off the rails. They fight on the secret island too, and Paz deserts them on the island, hoping some alone time will help them to better things between them.
Does Teresa really love her husband?
With the time for nice talks and coming to a resolution over, Teresa finally lets out all her resentment for Drew. While Drew tries to tell Teresa that it was she who wanted him to sleep with Paz, she bluntly tells him that she doesn’t mean everything she says, and Drew should’ve known better. But he gets defensive and blames Teresa for lashing out only because she didn’t get to sleep with Paz alone. In return, Teresa starts listing all the things she hates about Drew, and she even admits that she married Drew only because he stayed. He was the “lamp guy” for weeks for Teresa’s friends, and no matter what she tells herself, Teresa can’t love Drew. This really comes as a big blow for him, and when they get back to the resort, he takes off to return to civilization, informing her that he’s divorcing her.
I Really Love My Husband ends with Kiki finding Teresa’s missing ring in the sand while she’s sitting on the dock waiting for her boat, with her silly sunglasses on. Kiki keeps the ring, since it’s of no use to Teresa now anyway.
