James Sweeney's STRAIGHT UP - Thumbs Down

"Straight Up" is a love story between a heterosexual female & a male who has yet to determine his sexual orientation.  On a 1- 10 scale, best guess (10 being 100% gay) my bet is a 10.  On an overall ranking of the film (10 being Acad. Award worthy) I rate this a 4.  The soul reason for giving this loquacious, rapid-fire, knowing where it's going & it's going there slowly film are the earnest performances by its 2 lead actors.  Todd, yet to bet on his sexual attraction proclivities, is played James Sweeney.  Sweeney is also the writer & director of this romp comp, chick flick pick.   Sweeney's gift for gabby dialogue driven by a mostly stoic Buster Keaton face earns some lip curdling smiles.  Rory (homage to "Gilmore Girls") is a formidable match if not destined soul mate.  Both are equitable in their quirkiness, cleverness, kindness and loneliness.  The film begs the question for the younger generation can "Will & Grace" be fulfilled in their togetherness without the messiness of sexual interconnections.  Todd, a "software developer" earns his living, it not his living situation by house sitting.  The various homes the 2 house sit together, inhabit the film with a colorful spice of variety; technicolor cinematography like "La La Land" for sure.  Sweeney does appropriate from the above mentioned "Gilmore Girls," "Will & Grace" & "La La Land" but he does so with his own cloying sweetness that sticks.  The contemporary twist on the old myth men & women can't "just be friends" takes on a trickier trajectory worthy of examination.  Rory is an unemployed actor (& out of work waiter) who can be her own worst enemy.  Todd can boast of 2 friends besides Rory who boost the overplayed humor trying to solve Todd's sexual identity.  The scenes between Todd & his therapist are priceless.  On a 1-10 with 10 being highly likely you'll be seeing more of Sweeney, I bet a 10.  "Straight Up" didn't muster thumbs up (channeling Siskel & Ebert) but it may find its nice with a younger {groovy} demographic.  It did however, give me reasons to smile.