Left to right: Laurie, Doris and Elizabeth, the protagonists
A 2007 American independent drama film written and directed by Kyle Schickner.
Three quite different women meet in a steam room. Elizabeth (Kate Siegel) is a college freshman exploring her sexual orientation while struggling against control by her Catholic parents. Laurie (Ally Sheedy) is a single mother now in her 40s who's getting into a relationship with her son's coach while fighting with her ex-husband over his upbringing. Doris (Ruby Dee) is a widow in her old age, and starting another romance after years on her own with a man of her generation. All of their stories are shown simultaneously, with little overlap except during talks that all three have in the steam room.
Not to be mistaken with the other Steam.
Examples:
- Age-Gap Romance: Laurie dates her son's coach, who's about half her age. She has reservations about it, and her ex-husband Tom attacks her for doing this (though he has a much younger wife himself).
- Bedroom Adultery Scene: Although they aren't married, Elizabeth catches Niala (her bisexual girlfriend) having sex with a guy in her bed. She's outraged naturally and dumps her at once.
- Bittersweet Ending:
- Elizabeth stands up for herself, cutting off her controlling parents and coming out. She breaks up with Niala over her cheating, but being together inspired this.
- Laurie stands up to her asshole ex-husband, stopping him from getting full custody of their son.
- Doris, however, is left alone again when August dies of a heart attack.
- Black Dude Dies First: The only character to die is August, a Black man, due to a heart attack (he's in his seventies at least).
- Closet Gay: Elizabeth is initially closeted about her attraction to women, afraid of her conservative Catholic parents' reaction.
- Coming-Out Story: Elizabeth at first shows attraction to women but doesn't label herself or say anything. She gets into a relationship with Niala, an openly bisexual woman who's proud of her orientation. As a result, she realizes and acknowledges she's a lesbian. By the end Elizabeth defiantly comes out to her mom, shocking her.
- December–December Romance: Doris is at least in her seventies, dating a man around her age.
- Grew a Spine: Both Elizabeth and Laurie's character arcs involve gaining confidence to stand up against people in their lives.
- Elizabeth, given the influence of her rebellious girlfriend Niala, defies her controlling parents and comes out to her mom.
- Laurie tells her ex-husband Tom off and cites all the stuff that would come out in court if he tried to get full custody of their son, shooting down his attempt to intimidate her into doing this voluntarily.
- Helicopter Parents: Elizabeth's dad Frank is very controlling, with her mom going along on it. He micromanages everything she does, particularly trying to prevent Elizabeth sleeping with men (as they're conservative Catholics), though she actually only likes women, but given his beliefs he wouldn't approve of that either. Elizabeth finally pushes back on this, happier to stay in a jail cell than be bailed out by him.
- Heteronormative Crusader: It's implied though not stated that Elizabeth's initial anxiety about being into women is due to her parents' conservative Catholic beliefs. When she does come out as a lesbian at the end, her mom is shocked by this and retreats immediately.
- Hypocrite: Laurie's ex-husband Tom attacks her for being with a younger man, while he himself is married to a woman many years his junior. She calls him out for the fact, but he insists that it's different as she's a mother (which changes things somehow to him).
- Jerkass: Laurie's ex-husband Tom is a huge asshole who's never anything but critical and intrusive in her life still despite them being divorced, trying to get full custody of their son as he dislikes what she does as a single woman (namely dating a younger man, but he has a much younger wife himself).
- Lipstick Lesbian: Elizabeth has long hair, wearing a blouse and skirt at first with modest makeup while being into women. Her girlfriend Niala is more carefree in her looks, with long hair too but more revealing tops and pants, though far from butch either (she's bisexual rather than lesbian like Elizabeth as well). Elizabeth adopts more of her style over time, including a nose ring.
- Longing Look: Elizabeth shoots one at Niala immediately on seeing her in class, which lets her know she's attracted. Soon after Niala asks her out.
- The Lost Lenore: Doris and August talk to each other about both their deceased spouses', relating how much they miss them.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Niala is a wild, proudly bisexual woman who's a rebellious social activist, has partially dyed curly hair and a nose ring. She inspires reserved, closeted lesbian Elizabeth to come out and reject her parents controlling her. It's deconstructed somewhat however as Niala also soon cheats on Elizabeth, and they part ways.
- Parent with New Paramour:
- Laurie dates her son's coach. It doesn't appear he even knows, so we don't get his reaction.
- August begins a relationship with Doris that outrages his son William, who feels its disrespecting his late mother, falsely claiming Doris is a gold digger as August's very successful as a lawyer.
- Second Love: Doris and August were both previously married to much beloved spouses. They find love again with each other in old age.
- Sex Montage: Laurie and Elizabeth both are shown having sex with their new partners while the camera moves from one couple to another.
- Their First Time: Laurie has sex with Roy, even as Elizabeth and Niala do the first time. It's shown with intersecting scenes of them all.
- Toplessness from the Back: Niala is shown having sex with a guy nude from the back and waist up when Elizabeth catches them in bed together.
- Trophy Wife: Laurie's ex-husband Tom is remarried to a much younger woman, who's very beautiful, blonde and dimwitted. It's quite clear he'd only married her for her good looks, she probably for money. Laurie meanwhile has more average looks, with it being implied he "traded her in".
- Twofer Token Minority: Niala, who's proudly bisexual, is an Englishwoman with South Asian ancestry.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: All three of the protagonist's stories are alternately shown, while the only connection is their meeting in a steam room, where they talk.
- Uptight Loves Wild: Elizabeth starts out as a reserved woman with controlling Catholic parents struggling to face her attraction toward woman. She gets into a relationship with Niala, who's proudly bisexual and a rebellious, carefree social activist whom she's instantly attracted to, growing more confident from being with her, though it doesn't last as a result of Niala's cheating on her.
- Wall Bang Her: Laurie has sex with Roy while up against a desk.
