[1] The film centres on Ryan (Colm Feore) and Theo (David Cubitt) Taylor, estranged brothers reunited by their father's death.

Growing up, Ryan was the "perfect son" and Theo was the "black sheep" who struggled with drug addiction.

When Ryan reveals that he is dying of AIDS, however, the brothers attempt to repair their relationship while Theo simultaneously tries to win back his ex-girlfriend Sarah (Chandra West).

[1] He stated that he chose to cast Feore and Cubitt in part because their significantly different performance styles as actors helped to illuminate the film's themes of familial conflict.

[4] Peter Howell of the Toronto Star wrote that the movie was weak, but salvaged by Feore's and Cubitt's performances,[5] while Katrina Onstad of the National Post called the film frustratingly slow-moving, but wrote that "just when I'd given up on this film -- I felt drowsy -- the final act of The Perfect Son kicked in, honest and emotional (a woman I was sitting near full- body sobbed).