The story takes place in Manhattan during the height of the AIDS epidemic and revolves around Jeffrey (Steven Weber), a gay man who has sworn off sex because of the epidemic. It is not so much that Jeffrey is afraid of dying, but that he is afraid that he will fall in love with someone who is bound to die; thus, his celibacy is about sex and about relationships in general. Almost immediately thereafter, Jeffrey meets Steve (Michael T. Weiss), a hunky, charming HIV-positive man. He experiences an emotional conflict as he must face his fear in order to accept love, often breaking the fourth wall to do so. With the help of friends, interior decorator Sterling (Patrick Stewart) and his partner Darius (Bryan Batt), as well as a cast of cameos – including Nathan Lane and Sigourney Weaver – he is able to overcome his fears and begin a relationship with Steve.[2]
Filming took place from July 11 to August 14, 1994.[3]
Critical reception
Reviews to Jeffrey were positive, as it holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 31 reviews. The critical consesus reads, "Jeffrey offends as readily as it amuses, but an outstanding performance from Patrick Stewart keeps it from going completely off the rails."[4]
Caryn James from The New York Times wrote, “For anyone who missed the play, the film offers a strong echo of its best qualities and a couple of truly hilarious moments.”[2]Patrick Stewart got great acclaim for his supporting role, winning several critics awards, and even generated Oscar buzz, but failed to secure a nomination.
