11 gay movies with age-gap romances & where to watch them

Who isn't a little obsessed with an age-gap relationship? After all, who can resist a hot daddy! And when it comes to the silver screen, the titillation and tension of an intergenerational romance can make for a poignant and passionate gay love story.

So it’s no surprise that there are several steamy and moving entries in this micro–subgenre of gay films.

Not sure where to get started? Or worried you’ve missed a hidden gem? Well, good news — here are 11 gay movies featuring age-gap relationships that you'll definitely want to check out, plus where to stream them.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Frequently seen as the pinnacle of gay age-gap romance films, Luca Guadagnino’s coming-of-age queer love story follows 17-year-old Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) as he embarks on an infatuation — and then a romance — with Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old scholar staying with his family in Italy.

Where to watch: Hulu

Gerontophila (2013)

In this touching Canadian age-gap romance, 18-year-old Lake (Pier-Gabriel Lajoie) discovers he has a powerful attraction to older men when he takes a job at a nursing home and meets 81-year-old Melvin (Walter Borden). The two share an immediate connection that gradually transforms into something intimate and loving.

Where to watch: Tubi

After Louie (2017)

This intergenerational love story follows Sam (Alan Cumming), an artist and activist who lived through the AIDS crisis and carries deep emotional scars from the pain and loss he witnessed during that time. His life and worldview are upended when he meets Braeden (Zachary Booth), a young gay man who has had a very different experience coming into his queerness. Braeden’s optimism helps Sam confront his trauma and open himself up to the possibility of love again.

Where to watch: Tubi

Shelter (2007)

There’s a reason this film remains a forever gay favorite, and it’s not just the age-gap romance aspect. In it, Zach (Trevor Wright) is a young gay surfer who falls for his older brother’s friend, Shaun (Brad Rowe). What starts as a friendship develops into something deeper and more intimate.

Where to watch: Here TV

Down Low (2023)

While most of the films on this list tend toward the more serious and poignant, this age-gap romance is hilarious and, honestly, wild. The film follows Gary (Zachary Quinto), a closeted, middle-aged gay father of two who has just gotten a divorce after coming out. He hires a masseur and sex worker, Cameron (Lukas Gage), who, upon discovering that Gary has never been with a man, tries to help him with a hookup that goes seriously, seriously awry.

Where to watch: Rent on Prime Video

A Single Man (2009)

This aching and beautiful film is a must-watch for any queer cinephile. Directed by Tom Ford, and set in 1962, A Single Man follows the anguish and desire of George Falconer (Colin Firth), a middle-aged professor who is deep in mourning after the loss of his long-term partner, Jim (Matthew Goode). However, he is given a sliver of hope when he begins a new connection with a student, Kenny (Nicholas Hoult).

Where to watch: Tubi

Lan Yu (2001)

This Chinese drama explores an age-gap romance set in 1980s and 1990s Beijing. Lan Yu (Jimmy Lin) is a young student when he first meets Chen Handong (Tony Leung Ka-fai), a successful and wealthy businessman. Over the course of years, their passionate romance blossoms, but Chen is caught between the pressures of his successful, closeted life and the choice to live authentically.

Where to watch: Rent on Prime Video

Beach Rats (2017)

This steamy coming-of-age story stars Harris Dickinson (Beach Rats) as Frankie, a 19-year-old grappling with his identity. By day, he plays it straight with his friends, and at night, he seeks out hookups with older men.

Where to watch: Tubi

Sorry Angel (2018)

This French tearjerker follows Jacques (Pierre Deladonchamps), a 45-year-old writer living with HIV, who embarks on a passionate love affair with 22-year-old aspiring actor Arthur (Vincent Lacoste), despite knowing that his life is coming to an end.

Where to watch: Tubi

The Third One (2014)

This erotic romance from Argentina follows Fede (Emiliano Dionisi), a 22-year-old college student who engages in a sexual relationship with an older gay couple, Franco (Nicolás Armengol) and Hernán (Carlos Echevarría), after they meet online. What is meant to be just a casual hookup evolves into something more.

Where to watch: Gaga Oo Lala

Plainclothes (2025)

The latest entry in this subgenre blends an erotic age-gap romance with a thriller. Set in the 1990s, Lucas Brennan (Tom Blyth), a closeted cop, is tasked with trying to entrap gay men looking for hookups in public bathrooms. However, everything is turned upside down when he is approached by Andrew Waters (Russell Tovey), a married man, and the two instead strike up a deep connection.

Where to watch: In theaters