If you’re a millennial who has ever thought about the reality of ethical non-monogamy, writer/director Hannah Marks offers an airy, lighthearted glimpse into the complexities of seeking physical pleasure outside of the traditional relationship model in Mark, Mary & Some Other People. While the characters can come off a little immature in their quest to hook up with anyone other than their primary partner, the film’s biggest achievement is its ability to inject some comedic relief into an otherwise emotionally taxing or uncomfortable situation. But please I’m begging you, if you’ve been thinking about opening up your relationship, don’t spring the topic on your partner while you’re in the middle of getting down. You don’t have to watch the film to know that that won’t end well.

In a modernized “meet-cute,” ex-college acquaintances Mary (Hayley Law) and Mark (Ben Rosenfield) bump into each other at a liquor store and have been inseparable ever since. Mary is a cool, confident woman who’s outspoken about her feminist ideals and progressive beliefs, and serves as a nice balance to Mark, who is more of the nerdy submissive type. They compliment each other well and there’s no doubt that they love each other but after a year of marriage – and a small ceremony where Mark wore a tuxedo t-shirt and Mary screamed “Hell yeah ‘I Do'” – Mary begins questioning her promise of monogamy forever.

Her fear of being a “crusty married person” paralyzes her. (I should mention that Mary and Mark are 27 and 26, hardly “crusty” at all, but I digress.) After talking with her equally progressive-minded friends, Mary approaches Mark with the idea of a polyamorous relationship. “Monogamy is dumb,” Mary states. “You should’ve thought about that before we were married,” Mark quips. “How am I supposed to know what I want before I want it?” Mary retaliates. The immaturity of this conversation is my biggest hangup in the film; I believe it missed an opportunity to address the real need for connection, both physical and emotional, that isn’t always attainable in one’s spouse alone. Non-monogamy certainly isn’t for everyone, and while it’s becoming more common as a relationship model allowing partners to forge connections with people outside of the marriage, the way it was presented here felt slightly childish.

Their polyamory starts out as a game between Mary and Mark; after setting some ground rules, they are then free to sleep with whoever, whenever. They initially have a pretty toxic mindset about the whole thing but eventually, start to realize that how they’re going about polyamory is not sustainable if they want to preserve a healthy relationship with each other. To the film’s credit, the ending is perfectly executed and redeems the earlier hang-ups I had with the characters’ intentions.

Hannah Marks certainly has a strong directorial voice and vision that is on display here, making Mark, Mary & Some Other People an impressive feat. It feels as if this film exists in the same universe as the Eastside-set, indie rom-com Band Aid. A few standout moments include the soundtrack, especially the breezy “falling in love” montage set to Mac Demarco’s “My Kind of Woman” and Mary’s envious collection of Dadybones jewelry. Hayley Law and Ben Rosenfield pair well together too, bouncing their comedic energy off of each other with ease.

It’s refreshing to see progressive romantic comedies become more mainstream, especially with characters that are so relatable. Mark and Mary have flaws, sure, but they’re still trying to figure it out just like the rest of us. And that’s something I’ll always root for.

This review originally ran on June 14, 2021, during the Tribeca Film Festival.

Distributed by Vertical Entertainment. ‘Mark, Mary & Some Other People’ opens in theaters and on-demand this Friday, 11/5.