One Night Stand With My Stepbrother
starring: SASHA ANNA AUSTIN & MAX FAGANELLO
SYNOPSIS
Attempting to escape her father’s debt collectors, Quinn has a one night stand with a stranger. When her father winds up dead, Quinn seeks out her estranged mother, and finds out that her new stepbrother is the stranger from that night...
REVIEW
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There are moments when you watch something and see a star being born.
It's happened to me a few times in sports..Fernando Torres at '08 Euros, Michael Owen at '98 World Cup
It has happened a few times with acting. The last time was seeing Leo Woodhall as Adrian in the TV show Vampire Academy. He was extraordinary, transcended the material, and is now a megastar.
It also happened when watching this. Maxx Faganello transcends the entire project. And this is a very, very good project. But I think we are witnessing a star being born here.
There have been a few vertical attempts at the stepbrother trope much beloved by romance writers (it gives you forced proximity, forbidden and obstacles). None have really hit the mark until this one. Yes, the title is there to pull you in.
But it doesn't do this story justice. It is raw and takes us back to the basics of falling in love, 2 slightly damaged people finding each other and making each other stronger.
Sasha Anna Austin has a tough job as a lot of bad stuff happens to Quinn but she never falls into victim mode, and instead is the light that Justin needs. I wanted more singing, her voice is lovely
Maxx Faganello is just everything, the delivery, the chewing of his lip, changing the cadence of his delivery, the changes in his posture, raising and lowering the volume of his voice. I don't know enough about acting to be more articulate. I know he is astonishing and radiates charisma and magnetism on screen.
So many good things
The confrontation between Justin and his dad Gavin LeClaire is raw - the writing explains why Alana Lew as the mom from hell doesn't overplay it, instead making her emotionally shut down & heartless. Her reasons are explained at the end
All the young cast are superb:
Eric Roberto as Zane (again given a strong backstory) Sam Gousheh as Henry and Noah Stephens as poor Lucian - glad that Justin and Quinn apologised to you
This delivers vertical tropes - it moves fast, we have top-tier villains, lives are risked but also feels more real. The band bits work rather than feeling cringey. The fight is messy. The actors look their age.
💖 Top swoonworthy moment:
To be honest every time Justin is on screen, because Maxx Faganello is so magnetic. But hang on for the final episode because that speech at the beginning - just the delivery of it, the way he slightly runs words together and almost whispers. Phenomenal.
🦹🏼♂️ Top villain award:
Quinn’s parents are a piece of work, in particular her mum. Your jaw will drop. And rival band member Zane knows all the right buttons to press to rile Justin.
😂 Comedy gold:
Not a comedy, but there are a few moments. This family brings a new level of awkwardness to family dinners!
🎺 Unsung hero:
Poor Henry. He just wants to play bass in the band but has to deal with everyone’s drama all around him.
✍🏼 DETAILS
directors: TBC | writer: TBC | 2025
Available on Dramawave
