In the Flesh is a 1998 American independent gay-themed murder mystery film, produced, written, and directed by Ben Taylor.

[1] It tells how two gay men on both sides of the law are brought together as intimate friends amid the dark events and circumstances that surround them.

When police detective Philip Kirsch (Ed Corbin) and college business student Oliver Beck (Dane Ritter), closeted gay men, are brought together, they end up outed at the same time.

Although Oliver has the redeeming quality of caring for dependent people like his sister Lisa (Adele Phares), who is suffering from drug addiction, and befriending a mentally challenged adolescent, Mickey (Michael A.

He especially hates himself for avoiding drunk driving charges by moving his friend's dead body into the driver's seat of the wrecked car.

He expresses his sorrow each night he begins work at The Blue Boy by going to the jukebox, selecting the song "Breathe" (written by Wes Yoakam and performed by him and his band PopCycle, also known as Catfish Jenkins), and dancing to it with tears in his eyes.

This support for Oliver is socially and economically costly for Philip: he is outed at work and suspended by his boss, police Lieutenant Krane (Roxzane T. Mims).

Oliver is uncertain about what he is to do about his "night job" in view of his developing bond with Philip, but he must continue to make money to supply heroin to his sister.

The night that Oliver returns to his job at "The Blue Boy", Philip follows him to get him to quit hustling and exotic dancing and come home with him.

Oliver is out of harm's way for Philip to go back to his police lieutenant with the information needed to bust "The Blue Boy" drug ring.