Always Be My Maybe: Movie Review

Photo courtesy of Always Be My Maybe YouTube Trailer

With the undeniable charm and chemistry between leads Randall Park and Ali Wong, "Always Be My Maybe" hits the right keys to make it a light and funny romp. While this ain't a masterpiece and won't break any wheels in the genre, "Always Be My Maybe" is a well-made romance comedy film to do away a couple of hours to enjoyment.

Photo courtesy of Always Be My Maybe YouTube Trailer

Childhood neighbor and friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) have had a really close relationship ever since they were young. But before heading off to college, Marcus' mom dies and the two have a falling out. The once close friends don’t speak to each other for years. But when Sasha, now a very popular celebrity chef, returns to her hometown of San Francisco to open a new restaurant, she runs into her old pal Marcus who is content being a nobody and a struggling musician still living at home and working for his dad. Though the two are reluctant to reconnect, they soon find the old sparks are still there.

Photo courtesy of Always Be My Maybe YouTube Trailer

The premise of "Always Be My Maybe" is nothing new and that's basically how the plot develops throughout the film. The story is generic and safe. While it offers some surprises, there's nothing to really write home about its narrative. But this is a romance comedy, the story usually takes a back seat and a film typically hinges heavily on the chemistry between its lead actors. Luckily, "Always Be My Maybe" has a lot of that with awesome performances from its leads. Getting two natural comedians was definitely a great and critical decision. Not only is the chemistry between Wong and Park sweet, charming, and natural - it was also naturally hilarious. individually, the characters of Marcus and Sasha had some problems. Marcus frustrated us with his very narrow view on the world. It's mostly Sasha that sacrifices and the eventual turnaround for Marcus was less effective given his unbalanced development. We couldn't support the guy given all his faults. Additionally, the film could have trimmed down on its running time. There were a lot of filler scenes that felt unnecessary and while some conflicts just suddenly gets resolved. Overall, "Always Be My Maybe" presents a no-nonsense, hilarious, and charmingly enjoyable experience.

Photo courtesy of Always Be My Maybe YouTube Trailer

Rating: 4 reels





Why you should watch it:
- the chemistry between the two leads are undeniably sweet
- a great dose of comedy throughout its run time

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- there's nothing revolutionary or new here
- the story had surprises but was mostly generic all throughout