There is much to admire about "Latter Days." There is almost an equal amount that disappoints.

C. Jay Cox’s drama focuses on two young men. Christian (Wes Ramsey) is a gay party animal who first encounters Aaron (Steve Sandvoss) during the latter’s visit to Los Angeles. Later, when Aaron returns, he is quite a different person in regard to grooming, attitude and sex. He and a few other young men have come for missionary work for the Mormon Church.

That Christian and Aaron wind up living in the same apartment complex is rather incredible, although it works for the story, which finds Aaron struggling against homosexuality. When he fails and is caught, he’s sent back home in utter disgrace.

Meanwhile, Christian has been undergoing a metamorphosis that, due to Aaron’s influence, makes him more compassionate. As he discovers he truly loves Aaron, he is befriended by one of the missionaries (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) telling him of Aaron’s five-hour layover in Salt Lake City, which leads to a highly charged sexual reunion.

Cox has a trick or two left up his sleeve after Aaron elects to continue his journey. Yet he also lathers on a sloppy sentimental ending.

The writer-director flavors his film with several arresting characters, including one missionary who is going through his assignment simply to wed his girlfriend, an aspiring singer; the owner of a restaurant where Christian, the singer and some other ambitious young people work; plus cameos of the missionaries’ door-to-door work.

Yet, Cox also makes Aaron’s father a clenched-jawed zealot when he ought to have expended as much development on him as he does the restaurant owner (a fine portrait by Jacqueline Bisset) and the AIDS victim for whom Christian volunteers to bring food.

Sandvoss has the more difficult role of the two leads as Aaron and acquits himself very well. After a too-quick transition from party guy to good guy, Ramsey gains in depth.

The film is screened at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Westcott Cinema under the sponsorship of the Stonewall Committee, a gay rights group.

Playing for laughs

On last view, he was a bloodsucking vampire in TV’s "Angel." Now, David Boreanaz is going the romantic-comedy route. The Ithaca College graduate has signed to play the title role in "Mr. Fix-It," in which he plays a lovelorn bachelor who runs an agency that helps men repair their broken relationships.

Back to New York

Kathleen Chalfant, a Hangar Theatre actress during the tenure of Robert Moss, Syracuse Stage artistic director, is headed back to a New York City stage.

Chalfant has agreed to remain with the pared-down group of Tennessee Williams one-acts that was part of the Kennedy Center’s celebration of the playwright.

The new version will be "Four by Tenn," shorter by one than when it was presented in Washington, D.C. It is scheduled to start previews Oct. 19 at the prestigious Manhattan Theatre Club’s Stage 11.