In 'Looking: The Movie,' a Beautiful Conclusion to HBO's Series

The second and final season of HBO's "Looking," a subtle dramedy about three gay friends living in San Francisco, finished with a lot of loose ends. It seemed, at the time, the show's creators expected "Looking" to return for another installment but it was unceremoniously canceled. Appeasing its small "Looking" fan base, HBO made a surprising move and announced there would be a movie to wrap up those dangling threads.

Indeed, "Looking: The Movie," which airs July 23 on HBO at 10 p.m., neatly answers the questions presented last year. In an 84-minute feature, gorgeously directed by Andrew Haigh, the out filmmaker who produced and directed/wrote many of the episodes, the film reminds viewers what made "Looking" a special show while closing the narrative.

"Looking" focused on telling the story of specific group of gay men. There were //www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/18/hbo-looking-race_n_4622554.htmlplenty of complaints about the show's lack of diversity (fair, though creators and writers made efforts in its second season to improve this) and that the show was just boring (also fair). "Looking" wasn't a perfect show, but when it hit its stride, it was a lovely and unrestrained modern program that examined one type of gay life. Its trio, Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez), and Dom (Murray Bartlett) are not concerned about coming out of the closet; they've been out for years and their challenge is finding love and navigating contemporary, post-"Queer as Folk" life in San Fran.

When we last saw the men, the annoyingly neurotic Patrick broke up with his boss/boyfriend Kevin (Russell Tovey) less than 24-hours after moving in with him. In the last shot of Season Two, Patrick runs back to old-flame-turned-friend Richie (Ra�l Castillo) for a haircut (that was maybe more than just a haircut???). Like the show, "Looking: The Movie" mostly concerns itself with Patrick and his love life, while Agustin's and Dom's issues are resolved while rotating in Patrick's orbit.

"Looking: The Movie" is set just over a year after Patrick got his haircut from Richie. In its opening scene, we learn that Patrick has fled San Fran for a new video game development job in Denver. He's returning for a wedding - Agustin and Eddie (Daniel Franzese) are tying the knot. It's a surprising turn of events, given Agustin's not-so-keen stance on monogamy, but it appears that love won and he's fallen so hard for Eddie, he's willing to put a ring on it.

The boys reunite, hit up all their favorite hotspots - cheap but delicious restaurants, quirky gay hipster clubs and bars - and eventually meet up with the rest of the crew: Doris (Lauren Weedman, the MVP of "Looking"), her burly partner Malik (Bashir Salahuddin), Richie and his wormy/possibly alcoholic boyfriend Brady (Chris Perfetti). Patrick reintegrates himself with his squad and tries to ignore the (sexual) tension between himself and Richie. That sensual mood is quickly squashed, however, when Patrick sees Richie cuddling with Brady.

Patty is left dancing on his own to Britney Spears until he picks up a handsome younger man with a sly smile and, showing a new chilled-out side of Patrick, goes home with him, never freaking out. (If this were "Looking" Season One, an entire plot would be devoted to Patrick obsessing about catching an STD or contracting HIV.)

What follows is the best two scenes in the entire "Looking" franchise.

Haigh has been a critical darling since breaking through with his 2011 film, the gay romantic drama "Weekend." But in "Looking: The Movie" he takes his skills to another level and this HBO feature might be his best work to date. The sex scene between Patrick and his hookup Jimmy (Michael Rosen) is easily one of the most explicit and graphic gay sex scenes ever to be shown on TV; it's hot and awkward but elegantly filmed, excellently edited and absolutely necessary - we still live in a time when gay sex scenes are being censored.

It's the post-steamy-sex moment where Haigh's talents shine even brighter. Co-written by Haigh and "Looking" creator Michael Lannan, the conversation Patrick and Jimmy have after sleeping together is one of the most tender and realest depictions of modern gay life. The mood quickly changes from raw sexual energy to the kind of openness many gay men experience with each other, and thanks to Haigh and Lannan's rich craftsmanship, the moment is cinematically heightened.

Jimmy warms up Chinese food leftovers for Patrick while the two talk about jobs, relationships and what the future holds for them, all without the stigmas and tropes plenty of gay dramas have used to portray the LGBT community in the past. Jimmy, who is 22 years old, tells Patrick he had his first real boyfriend when he was 16, leaving Patrick picking his jaw off the ground. It's a shocking thing for him to hear - when he was 16, Patrick was locked away in the closet. The thought of being out and having a boyfriend in your teens is something Patrick, and many gay men in their 30s+, could never even fathom. But it's also thrilling to learn a younger generation of gay men can date openly during their formative years.

After Patrick tells Jimmy about his relationships with Kevin and Richie, Jimmy, who is nearly a decade younger than our protagonist, gives Patty some sage advice. Before pointing out that Patrick runs away from his problems, citing his abrupt move to Denver, he says, "bury your dead good," sparking Patrick to get closure with Kevin.

In the wrong hands "Looking" and its closing film could easily go awry, but Haigh treats his characters and their issues with delicate warmth and sensitivity. There is never a preachy moment and there is obvious care in his moviemaking. Haigh remains an honest filmmaker, especially with his depiction of San Fran. Though beautifully shot (there are several breathtaking flashes of the city's skyline), there's an interesting, and intentional, anti-San Fran sentiment coming from the "Looking" characters, who now view the city as a wasteland and often complain about Silicon Valley's takeover.

"Looking: The Movie" has its problems - it's a bit heavy-handed at times, especially given the "Will he pick Richie or Kevin?!" meta narrative with Patrick - and some peculiar plot tricks - there's no way we'd ever believe Patrick and Dom would get together - but Haigh's skills overshadow those issues. Plus, a Tyne Daly cameo doesn't hurt! With its feature film, "Looking" is officially over, coming to an end that will satisfy those invested in Patrick's narrative. While most questions are answered, Haigh and co. leave some things open ended, allowing fans to draw their own conclusions.

It's a bittersweet finale, but one we are lucky to have. "Looking" could continued for many seasons but the series will forever exist in this small and contained collection. The honestly that lives in "Looking" will thrive on HBO GO's servers for years, allowing younger gay audiences to stumble on for years to come. Unlike "Queer As Folk," the relevancy of "Looking" will likely stand the test of time.

"Looking: The Movie" airs July 23 on HBO at 10 p.m. EST