Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Unicorns

Play trailer 2:07 Poster for Unicorns Now Playing 1h 59m Romance Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Unable to deny the spark between them the pair are forced down the unexpected path of transformation, where they must question their identities and confront their individual truths. Co-directed by Sally El Hosaini and filmmaker-actor James Krishna Floyd, the film alternates between the thrill of raw desire, the gravity of familial responsibility, and the transformative power of being seen for who you really are. Ben Hardy and newcomer Jason Patel shine in this summer's must-see romance, Unicorns.
Now in Theaters Now Playing Buy Tickets
Unicorns

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Tenderly performed by Ben Hardy and Jason Patel, Unicorns charts a queer love story with familiar beats but palpable sincerity.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (44)
Peter Debruge Variety Co-directors Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd’s scrappy drama shows enormous heart, but it’s the lead actors and their disparate identities that distinguish an otherwise familiar LGBT-themed indie. Aug 1, 2025 Full Review Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News There’s hope and joy to be found here along with passion and genuine heat, giving us a gay romance to treasure for years to come. Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 21, 2025 Full Review Sergio Burstein Los Angeles Times Sensitive and endearing portrait of one of those relationships that are rarely seen on screen, marked by particularly competent performances and enhanced by impressive choreography performances. [Full review in Spanish] Jul 21, 2025 Full Review Sarah Vincent Sarah G Vincent Views If Patel is giving such a seamless performance his first time at bat, what will he do with more experience?!? Aug 1, 2025 Full Review Alan Zilberman Spectrum Culture The strength of the performances are what add plausibility to each required plot point, so by the end, so the romantic pair are fully formed individuals with genuine hang-ups and yearning. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 25, 2025 Full Review Joe Lipsett The Queer Gaze (Podcast) A sweet and charming, albeit familiar, romance that overstays its welcome with an overly long runtime. A violent third act twist, however, essentially derails the movie and nearly ruins it. Rated: 2.5/5 Jul 25, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (18)
William F Awesome movie with terrific performances! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/27/25 Full Review Rohit Great casting, cinematography & storyline. Could’ve been shorter Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/26/25 Full Review Robert M J Smart and moving film! Terrific performances all around. Don’t miss this. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/20/25 Full Review Jan S Unexpectedly sweet and heartbreaking, I liked this film much more than I expected. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/26/25 Full Review Robin C “Unicorns” Luke (Ben Hardy), a dad, divorced and alone, wanders into a nightclub and meets one of the performers, attractive Aysha (Jason Patel), and, before you know it, they kiss. He is shocked to learn that she is actually a he and is repulsed. Then, she offers him a job as her driver and he needs the money in “Unicorns.” What we have here is an old fashion boy-meets-girl romance story with a modern twist, though. Aysha makes him a business offer. Her driver, Faiz (Sagar Radia), left her in a lurch and she offers Luke 200 pounds to drive her to and from a gig. Since he promised his 5-year old son a trip to Disneyland, he jumps at the money. He survives the evening unscathed so, when she offers him 1200 pounds a week to drive her to her gigs, it is a no brainer. This begins a sequence of rides, oftentimes with Aysha’s other drag performer friends, particularly the rambunctious Z (Val the Brown Queen), to their private performances. All the while, Luke starts to fall for the vivacious Aysha. Aside from the homoerotic sex, this is a pretty straightforward romantic quasi-comedy (Z and her girls provide the comic relief) that does not bother itself with the details. Things, like Luke’s son, ex-wife, job as a mechanic and all the other mundane aspects of his life fall away behind the romance. Aysha gets her own back-story when her life as a successful drag queen is tragically brought to an end by a vengeful opponent. But, not to worry, this is a romantic comedy so you know just how it will go. The performances fit the bill of a romance with Luke getting the biggest arc of character as he journeys from his straight life to something very different for him. Feature newcomer Jason Patel works best as femme Aysha and less so as her masculine other half, Ashiq – as her, she is smart and in control, as he, he is just needy. I prefer Aysha. Supporting cast is limited but well played by the drag queens who have the funniest schtick. B- Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/21/25 Full Review Jack F James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini invite us into a complicated, beautifully tragic, and unconventional love story. With Luke and Aysha the impossible feels possible. Patel masterfully navigates Aysha/Ashiq's emotional volatility of cultural and familial expectations while striving to be authentically themself. Hardy captivates with his longing stares, his conflicted inner struggle between love and its unexpected form, and his duty to be a genuine, loving human. The heart is huge in this film, and the dialogue is full of zings and quotable moments. The message is clear when it comes to the drag queens who surround and carry this film. Come As You Are, or not at all. And I certainly hope everyone comes to embrace this imperfect, messy, and deeply important showcase of 21st-century romance. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/18/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Unicorns

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Viet and Nam 97% % Viet and Nam Watchlist TRAILER for Viet and Nam High Tide 100% 89% High Tide Watchlist Call Me by Your Name 95% 86% Call Me by Your Name Watchlist Cocoon 100% 91% Cocoon Watchlist TRAILER for Cocoon Passages 94% 69% Passages Watchlist TRAILER for Passages Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Unable to deny the spark between them the pair are forced down the unexpected path of transformation, where they must question their identities and confront their individual truths. Co-directed by Sally El Hosaini and filmmaker-actor James Krishna Floyd, the film alternates between the thrill of raw desire, the gravity of familial responsibility, and the transformative power of being seen for who you really are. Ben Hardy and newcomer Jason Patel shine in this summer's must-see romance, Unicorns.
Director
Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd
Producer
Philip Herd, Bill Pohlad, Celine Rattray, Kim Roth, Trudie Styler, Christa Zofcin Workman
Screenwriter
James Krishna Floyd
Distributor
Cohen Media Group
Production Co
River Road Entertainment, Maven Screen Media
Genre
Romance, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 18, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 59m