Latter Days is a wonderful story about a young traveling Mormon missionary who moves in next door to a very out-of-the-closet young and single gay man. Their encounters turn into a friendship that in turn becomes something more, and while the missionary Elder Aaron Davis, wonderfully played by relative newcomer Steve Sandvoss must come to terms with the religious conflict his life has created, his new love interest, also well-played by Wes Ramsey (Sam Spencer from Guiding Light) as Christian Markelli, must also do some soul searching as he comes to an understanding of the shallow life that he has built for himself.

Addressing the clash between being gay and religion, specifically the Mormon faith, Latter Days reminds us that not all families will come to accept their gay children. By the end of the movie it is clear that the now excommunicated Aaron must seek out and embrace a new family, one that accepts and celebrates human difference. (Note that this does not give away any plot, there never was any doubt as to the outcome if you are familiar with the Mormon faith, and it is not the central part of the plot, as much as finding one's own self is).

Writer/director Jay C. Cox (who also wrote Sweet Home Alabama) bases his depictions of Mormon life on his own experiences with the church. One of the missionaries who travel with Elder Aaron, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, best known for the tv series Third Rock From the Sun exemplifies the intolerance and fear that drives many people to lash out, when someone they know comes out unexpectedly. Some parts of the show are weak, like when the mother becomes aware of the 'bet', (I won't say more so as not to spoil a plotline) I just found that highly unlikely she would find that out, but the film has few weak parts that can be overlooked though, as the rest of the film more than makes up for it.

An intelligent script, overall fine acting and above quality direction make this the gay feel-good movie of the year. Additional fine acting performances include Jacqueline Bisset as the restaurant owner where Christian works, and Mary Kay Place as Aaron Davis's intolerant Mormon mother.