LIKE IT IS

Like It Is is a gay themed British romantic drama released in 1998. The movie is about the gay relationship between Craig and Matt. Craig is a young man who lives in his mother's house in Blackpool together with his brother Tony. Craig earns his money by engaging in bare knuckle fights as people who have bet their money cheer along. Matt works for a music production company and is their best music promoter.
Matt is at a club promoting Paula's song. Paula is also his flatmate. He leaves the club and Craig spots him and follows behind. They sit together and start chatting. Craig decides to take Matt home. At home he wants to engage in receptive anal sex with Matt. Matt hesitates but Craig insists. Craig hands him a condom. Craig can however not bare the pain since it is his first time doing such a thing. He stands up cursing and asks Matt to leave. Matt leaves his contact then goes.
Minto the rich man who sponsors Craig's fights thinks he has not been getting a formidable foe. They plan to make him fight with Terry Quinnell who is still in prison but about to be released. Craig complains he a psycho and refuses. Tony has been trying to get Craig out of the fights but he has refused. Craig has also been to prison before.
Back at his flat Matt talks to his flatmate Paula about Craig. She tells him he will meet someone else. She wants him to concentrate on promoting her song to number one on the charts.
One day as Matt and Paula are walking back to the house they find Craig outside waiting. Matt is shocked and he introduces him to Paula. Matt invites him into the house and he spends the night.
Matt takes Craig to a gay bar. He gives him a pill which gets him wild and dancing. He leaves Craig on the dance hall.  Craig begins to get into fights with people around. Matt spots the commotion and takes Craig out. Outside the club Craig finds a car whose door is left unlocked. He hot wires it and asks Matt to jump in if he wants to be with him. They drive off. In the morning Craig drives by a lakeside. He removes his clothes and they have sex. This time Matt manages to penetrate him.
At work Matt has obligations to meet. Kelvin the owner of the company wants him to promote ZKC a music group of 3 boys into top ten in the charts. In return Matt will go and manage a club Kelvin is opening.
Craig gets work in Stockwell at Matt's friend club. He however gets into a confrontation with some heterosexual revelers complaining about homosexuals and hurling insults at him. He beats one of them. Matt is called from the studio as he is working on ZKC's music video. He leaves to go pick Craig. He confronts him about the violent behavior which cost him a job.
Kelvin is upset of Matt leaving the studio to go pick up Craig. He proposes they find Craig something to do. He proposes Craig join the Northern Research team to promote Paula's and ZKC's music. Kelvin also invites Craig for his party that Saturday. On Saturday Matt leaves Craig to have fun at the party after Kelvin promises to get him a taxi. Craig however gets too drunk and goes to bed with Jamie one of the ZKC members. In the morning he can barely remember what happened. Kelvin gives him the car keys and cash to go to Leeds and begin one immediately. Matt is upset Craig never came back to his house but slept at Kelvin's. Craig is also upset that he slept out but Kelvin promises he will smooth things out with Matt.
Craig tries to call Matt while away working but Paula never delivers his messages. Paula does not like Craig because she thinks his relationship with Matt is affecting productivity.
Craig comes back on the day Matt is organizing Paula and ZKC's concert. He confronts Craig about sleeping with Jamie but they later reconcile. Matt is called out and leaves Craig in the room alone. Kelvin comes in and finds Craig alone. He tells him the work is over. He pays him his dues and asks for the car keys. Craig runs off to find Matt. He finds him kissing with Jamie high on cocaine. He runs off as Matt tries to reach him. He asks Matt to leave with him. Matt refuses fearing for his job. Craig goes back to Blackpool.
At Blackpool Craig goes to Minto and confirms the fight with Terry Quinnell. Kelvin comforts Matt that Craig was too much trouble than he was worth. Craig begins training for his fight.
Matt has delivered his end of the deal with Kelvin. He gets to manage the club. At its opening he confronts Paula for not delivering Craig's messages. He also gets into another confrontation with Kelvin and decides to leave before the opening. He heads to Blackpool to look for Craig. He finds Tony who is Craig's brother at the house. Tony invites him in. Tony is shocked to find out his brother Craig is gay. They search for Craig for 2 days then find him on the day of his fight at the venue. Craig refuses to cancel the fight. They decide to wait outside for the fight to end. Craig is beaten badly by Quinnell. He however bet against himself and is paid. He can barely speak but he tells Matt that they can now begin afresh. Matt and Tony carry him to hospital.