Imagine this: a warm summer night in idyllic Brooklyn, and a young, gay grad student seeks companionship. Thanks to modern technology, he swiftly finds himself in the company of a hunky, food-delivery cyclist fresh from work. In a shadowy nook, they help each other find a quick release before leisurely sharing some left-over, post-passion pad kee mao. They don't even know each other's names. It's all so wonderfully effortless, just like Lucio Castro’s film “Drunken Noodles."

Hot on the heels of Castro's genre-blurring "After This Death”, this new feature takes us back to the sultry, spirited world he created in his 2019 debut “End of the Century.” “Drunken Noodles” shows a spunkier, playful side, more about fun flings than existential angst. Castro's tender, relaxed viewpoint on young, uninhibited playtime gives the movie an invigorating twist for those who are tired of artifacts and LGBT films that have dropped the ball on open sexual exploration. With its North American rights secured by Strand Releasing, this film could recreate the magic and become yet another queer cult favorite.

Castro's latest masterpiece largely owes its melody to the easygoing presence of lead actor Laith Khalifeh. As art student, Adnan, a laid-back summer in New York unfolds before us. He’s charmingly aloof yet curious, looking every bit the urban hipster with his trendy mustache and effortlessly cool wardrobe. But despite his apathetic demeanor, there’s an anxious innocence in him that draw men of various kinds over the three-part narrative structured in reverse chronological order.

“Drunken Noodles” puts an intriguing new spin on the life, play and occasional solitude of being single. It also sprinkles in some sharp-rimmed truth about the sweet-and-sour reality of gay partnerships. A particularly witty scene centers Adnan as he shares a hilariously inappropriate flashback of his budding sexuality with his laughing partner. As our hero collects and even cultivates these fleeting, intimate moments, he's simultaneously nurturing a surprisingly transparent relationship. The film ingeniously wraps up the whole moving saga with an argument for blissful solitude.

Castro masterfully paints an apt and tantalizing picture; capturing moments as they come. The filming is never forceful or overdone, with the slice-of-life editing style and a generous dose of natural lighting and sun-kissed colors. Worthy of praise for their double or triple duties are crew members like Yegang Yoo, responsible for the film's restrained score and character-focused costumes. This compact and casual style complements Castro's wandering, contemplative interests as an artist. Whether it’s a casual stroll in the woods, the alluring sight of a well-presented rear, or a take-away carton, "Drunken Noodles" celebrates life's simple pleasures, both of the body and spirit.