The Best Man

The path to love is bumpy and strewn with landmines in this surprisingly deep charmer from rom-com queen Higgins (Somebody to Love). Jeremy Lyon admits to Faith Holland that he’s gay—moments before they were supposed to be wed. It takes three years of self-imposed exile from her upstate New York hometown for heartbroken Faith to recover. She returns to find her grandparents feuding and her father embarking on a wholly inappropriate romance. She also runs into police chief Levi Cooper; she thinks he’s super-hot but resents him for never telling her Jeremy’s secret. As she navigates the perils of dating again, family drama, and an identity crisis, perky Faith is slowly revealed as deeply human, deeply troubled, and deeply in need of self-forgiveness and love. Levi is a stalwart and appealing good guy rounded out with an Afghanistan-scarred psyche and a constant struggle to fully accept his working-class background. Emotional resonance balances zany antics in a powerful story that feels completely real. (Mar.)