Three identical pictures of Andy Blubaugh

The Pull
Grade: B

What happens when two men start a romance on the strict condition that they break up four months later? Gay Portland filmmaker Andy Blubaugh (Scaredycat) and his ex discuss the pros and cons of this proposition in an 8-minute short that features tender shots of the couple spooning in bed, a heated dinner conversation about relationships and scenic footage of a bike ride in the country. Blubaugh certainly digs at some intriguing questions about the durability of love and physical attraction, but the rules of engagement seem so arbitrary that it’s hard to muster an emotional or intellectual response to the material.

Screens at the Portland International Film Festival on February 16 at 2 p.m. at the Portland Art Museum's Whitsell Auditorium. The Pull is part of the program Short Cuts IV: Made in Oregon.