If you haven't seen the Any Day Now film, you're basically missing one of the most gut-wrenching, authentic portrayals of "found family" ever put on screen. Honestly, it’s a lot. It’s a 2012 indie drama starring Alan Cumming that somehow feels more relevant in the 2020s than it did when it first hit the festival circuit. Most people think it’s just another "message movie" about the 1970s. It isn’t. It’s a story about a drag performer, his partner, and a teenager with Down syndrome named Marco who just wants a place to belong.
Watching it feels like a punch to the chest. Not because it’s trying to manipulate you, but because the legal hurdles it depicts are historically accurate and, frankly, infuriating. The movie is inspired by a real-life story from the 70s, which makes the heartbreak feel less like Hollywood fiction and more like a witness statement.
What Actually Happens in the Any Day Now Film?
The plot is deceptively simple. Rudy (played by Alan Cumming) is a drag queen living in West Hollywood. He meets Paul (Garret Dillahunt), a closeted district attorney. Their lives collide with Marco, a young boy with Down syndrome whose mother has been arrested on drug charges. Rudy finds Marco wandering the halls of their apartment building alone.
Instead of letting him disappear into a broken foster care system, Rudy and Paul take him in. They become a family. For a brief window, everything is perfect. But this is 1979. The legal system isn't exactly kind to a "homosexual household" trying to adopt a child. When the authorities find out about Rudy and Paul’s relationship, the battle for Marco becomes a brutal exposé of institutional prejudice.
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The Performance That Changed Everything for Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming is usually known for being flamboyant or eccentric in roles like Nightcrawler or Eli Gold. But in the Any Day Now film, he’s raw. He’s vulnerable. You see the grit under the glitter. Director Travis Fine reportedly spent a long time looking for the right lead, and Cumming’s ability to balance the "performance" of drag with the desperate, quiet love of a father is what anchors the entire movie.
He isn't just playing a character; he’s channeling the frustration of an entire generation of people who were told their love was a "lifestyle choice" that disqualified them from being parents. There’s this one scene in the courtroom where the bias is so thick you can practically taste it. It’s hard to watch. It’s supposed to be.
Isaac Leyva and the Importance of Authentic Casting
One thing the Any Day Now film got absolutely right—long before "authentic casting" was a buzzword in Hollywood—was casting Isaac Leyva as Marco. Leyva, who has Down syndrome in real life, brings a level of sincerity that a neurotypical actor simply couldn't mimic. His performance isn't about "acting" disabled; it’s about being a kid who loves disco, dancing, and his two dads.
The chemistry between Leyva and Cumming is the soul of the movie. When Marco asks if he can stay, or when he looks for his mother, it doesn't feel like a script. It feels like a tragedy unfolding in real-time. This isn't a movie that uses disability as a prop. Marco is the catalyst, but he’s also a fully realized human being with his own agency and desires.
The Real Story Behind the Script
The movie didn't just appear out of nowhere. It was loosely based on a true story that writer George Arthur Bloom heard decades ago. In the late 70s, a gay man in Brooklyn actually did take in a neglected child with Down syndrome. He fought the system. He tried to do the right thing.
The reality, as is often the case, was even more complicated than the film. When Travis Fine got a hold of the script years later, he updated it to reflect the specific legal climate of the late 70s in California. This era was a tipping point for gay rights, nestled between the Stonewall riots and the impending shadow of the HIV/AIDS crisis. It was a time of immense hope and crushing pushback.
Why the Legal Battle in the Film is So Infuriating
People often watch the Any Day Now film and ask, "Was it really that bad?"
Yes. Actually, in some ways, the film tones down the systemic vitriol of the era. In 1979, the "best interests of the child" standard was frequently used as a weapon against LGBTQ+ parents. Judges and social workers regularly argued that living in a gay household would "confuse" a child or lead to social ostracization, regardless of how much love or stability was present in the home.
The film highlights the hypocrisy of a system that would rather see a child rot in a substandard institution or be returned to an abusive, drug-addicted parent than stay with a stable, loving gay couple. Paul’s career as a DA adds a layer of tension—he knows the system from the inside, yet he’s powerless to stop it from devouring his own family.
The Music: More Than Just Background Noise
You can’t talk about this movie without talking about the music. Since Rudy is a performer, the soundtrack is heavily influenced by the disco and folk-rock of the late 70s. Alan Cumming’s rendition of "I Shall Be Released" is haunting. It’s not a show tune; it’s a plea.
The music serves as the emotional bridge between the scenes. It represents the joy of the family’s brief time together and the mourning that follows. If you find yourself humming the tunes afterward, it’s because they are woven into the narrative DNA of the film.
Common Misconceptions About Any Day Now
Sometimes people confuse this film with others of a similar name, or they think it’s a documentary. It’s a narrative feature, but its "period piece" accuracy is top-tier. Another misconception is that it’s a "sad gay movie." While it is undeniably emotional, it’s more of a critique of the legal system and a celebration of unconventional fatherhood. It’s about the definition of family. Is family blood? Or is it the person who makes sure you have your favorite pajamas and a safe place to sleep?
Critical Reception and Awards
When it debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival, it won the Audience Award. People loved it because it felt honest. It didn't have a massive Marvel-sized marketing budget, but it stayed in the conversation through word of mouth. Critics praised the chemistry between the leads, though some found the ending—which I won’t spoil here—to be devastatingly bleak. But life in 1979 for people like Rudy and Paul often was bleak. A "happy Hollywood ending" would have been a lie.
Key Themes to Look Out For
- The Concept of "Home": Marco’s obsession with finding his way home is a recurring motif.
- Institutional Bias: How the law prioritizes "morality" over "welfare."
- Performance vs. Reality: Rudy’s life on stage is flamboyant, but his life as a father is grounded and selfless.
- The Closet: Paul’s struggle to reconcile his professional identity with his private life.
Actionable Insights for Viewers and Advocates
If the Any Day Now film moves you, there are several ways to engage with its themes in the modern world. While laws have changed significantly since 1979, foster care systems and LGBTQ+ adoption rights still face challenges globally.
- Support LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care: Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and local foster agencies often have specific programs for LGBTQ+ youth who are disproportionately represented in the system.
- Advocate for Inclusive Family Laws: Even today, "religious freedom" bills in various regions attempt to allow adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples. Staying informed on local legislation is crucial.
- Watch with Context: If you’re watching this for the first time, look up the history of the Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6) in California. It gives a lot of weight to the fear the characters feel throughout the movie.
- Host a Discussion: This is a prime "movie club" film. It sparks intense debates about justice, morality, and the role of the state in family life.
The Any Day Now film isn't just a relic of 2012 indie cinema. It’s a mirror. It asks us what we value more: the rigid adherence to "traditional" structures or the simple, radical act of loving a child who has no one else. It’s a tough watch, but it’s an essential one for anyone who believes that family is something you build, not just something you’re born into.
To get the most out of the experience, watch it on a night when you're prepared to feel things. Pay attention to the quiet moments between Rudy and Marco—those are the parts that stick with you long after the credits roll. Seek out interviews with Alan Cumming and Isaac Leyva to hear about their bond on set, as it adds a whole new layer of warmth to the viewing experience. Finally, check your local listings or streaming platforms like Tubi or Amazon Prime, where it frequently appears, to see this underrated gem for yourself.