Always Be My Maybe Review – Best RomCom Since Hitch

GameStop, Inc.

The greatest Romantic Comedy since Hitch- Always Be My Maybe Review

I’m a sucker for a good RomCom. I grew up on 10 Things I Hate About You, Love Don’t Cost a Thing, and the pinnacle of RomComs, Hitch. While I’m a fan of many, Hitch stood alone at the top for a long time until I watched Always Be My Maybe. Starring Ali Wong and Randall Park, this romantic comedy from Netflix is about a pair of childhood best friends who drift apart and reconnect 16 years later. Wong plays Sasha Tran, a celebrity chef on the rise who is opening a new restaurant in her hometown of San Francisco. Park, plays Marcus Lee, a rather content struggling musician who also helps his dad run a heating and air conditioner business. Due to the winds of fate (or Wong, Park, and Michael Golamco’s writing), the estranged friends rekindle their relationship. True to the romcom format, the pair hit numerous hurdles that keep them apart, like celebrity love interests and personal issues. Do Marcus and Sasha end up together though? Is it possible the love of your life to have been there from the beginning? Hop onto whoever’s Netflix account you use and find out.

Directed by Nahnatchka Khan and filled with a slew lesser-known actors you’ve seen around like James Saito, Vivian Bang, Karan Soni, and Charlyne Yi, the film is not only well told, but feels very real. Even with the bigger named stars like Daniel Dae Kim and Keanu Reeves, the film never feels like someone was forced there for recognition or star power. Well, Keanu is somewhat there for his star power, but I don’t want to give too much away. Always Be My Maybe always feels as if this is really happening; if you turned around and listened to the people in your background, this is probably them. However, I might be projecting a lot as I am from Northern California, the characters are in my age group, and the main characters are Asian.

Always Be My Maybe is a romantic comedy in every sense of the word. It’ll likely be compared to When Harry Met Sally, which isn’t a bad thing, because it involves friends who do try to be friends and the film does follow the romcom format fairly closely. Friends together, friends drift, friends reconnect, friends get feelings, oh wait there are other people, oh dang there’s also deeply seeded personal issues they have to overcome to be with each other. It’s really not new. But, I think the proper way to frame it is like basketball. There are HUNDREDS of basketball plays per game, but there are very few that get a poster. Always Be My Maybe is a slam dunk, and it is apparent with the details.

First of all, the jokes are funny. They’re pointed without being mean, they’re wildly clever, and vary greatly from characters to situation. You can feel and experience a lot of Ali Wong’s humor that you know from her stand up, while you are charmingly chuckled by Randall Park’s highly underrated delivery. Keanu Reeves does an amazing job playing an eccentric, annoying, yet somehow still endearing character. It’s a strange amalgam that you know is not real but can’t help but believe. And his role leads to one of the most enjoyable end credit sequences of any film. Again, I don’t want to say too much, but it’s more of an audio experience.

Secondly, the film feels very grounded. The romance isn’t huge grand gestures that can only happen in movies. Not to brag, but for the most part, I’ve gone bigger in my gestures in my recent relationship that crashed and burn than most of the romantic gestures in this movie. But I think that’s why this film works so well. The little details that show a connection are very much noticeably unnoticeable. I know that’s a contradiction, but I guess I’m trying to say you feel it and don’t realize you’re seeing it, unless you’re trying really hard to get it into writing and you analyze everything and dissect it. My favorite example can be experienced in the trailer, it’s when Sasha reaches for some Siu Mai, and Marcus slides it away shaking his head. You get a sense of it in the trailer, but in context, you really feel the magic of that scene. There are numerous scenes like that, and not all are romantic. There are moments between friends, family, and even strangers.

Lastly, and this is a deeply personal take that will be expanded in another piece called something like “Why Always Be My Maybe is better for Asians than Crazy Rich Asians,” this is one of the few films that capture American Asians. I have waited decades to see myself on screen. I’m not talking about just an Asian guy, or that dude from Dusk Til Dawn (I really look like that Asian dude in that movie), I mean Asians who grew up in America raised by American Culture and Asian values. I relate a bit more to Sasha, as I do tend to carry resentment towards my parents and often treat them like a burden, but that is something very common with American Asians. A lot of us, are not friends with our parents. Then there are those like Marcus who do take care of our parents. I mean both sets of Asian parents seem way cooler than mine, so I’m getting 3rd gen vibes, at least from Marcus’s side. James Saito was hella chill. My white stepdad ain’t that chill. Anyway, but the way they carried themselves and immersed themselves with their friends and peers, is something that only one other film I know of has captured. As great as Crazy Rich Asians is and the movement it hopefully started, that’s not really American Asian, Always Be My Maybe is American AF. Also, their choice in music is exactly like mine, and I feel many of my age and demo would whole-heartedly agree.

Always Be My Maybe is the best romantic comedy since Hitch. I mean this in terms of enjoyment and also inspiration, cultural impact, and personal relation. Millions related to Albert Brennaman and aspired to be Alex Hitchins, millions more will relate and aspire to be Marcus and Sasha. The film is hilarious, touching, inspiring, and just a damn good amount of fun. Plus it’s hella Asian, without being political. I feel white people won’t feel guilted into watching it to support a minority group and will just watch it because they’re already fans of Ali Wong and Randall Park. Always Be My Maybe I feel, will be regarded as a great film and not a great Asian film. Meaning that people are just going to watch and enjoy it, without attributing an agenda to it. Which, in my opinion, is the goal and damn did they achieve that goal. My Always Be My Maybe review gets a 5/5.

 

Always Be My Maybe Review
5

TLDR

Always Be My Maybe is the best romantic comedy since Hitch. I mean this in terms of enjoyment and also inspiration, cultural impact, and personal relation. Millions related to Albert Brennaman and aspired to be Alex Hitchins, millions more will relate and aspire to be Marcus and Sasha. The film is hilarious, touching, inspiring, and just a damn good amount of fun. Plus it’s hella Asian, without being political. I feel white people won’t feel guilted into watching it to support a minority group and will just watch it because they’re already fans of Ali Wong and Randall Park. Always Be My Maybe I feel, will be regarded as a great film and not a great Asian film. Meaning that people are just going to watch and enjoy it, without attributing an agenda to it. Which, in my opinion, is the goal and damn did they achieve that goal.

Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)
Anytime Costumes

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
We Test Our EQ By Revisiting the ‘New Zoo Revue’ with Doug and Emily Momary – Interview

We revisit the classic 1970s series, ‘The New Zoo Revue‘ with...

Kari Wahlgren Talks Voicing Aunt May in ‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’

Legendary voice actress, Kari Wahlgren returns to the Spider-Man multiverse as...

Melissa Roxburgh & Patrick Sabongui Talk About NBC’s ‘The Hunting Party’ – Interview

Melissa Roxburgh and Patrick Sabongui talk about their new NBC Procedural...

Event News Event Reviews
‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’ is Wonderous at The Phantom Projects – Review

Off-Broadway comes to North Orange County with ‘The Marvelous Wonderettes‘ at...

‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ Is Oh So Right at La Mirada Theatre – Review

‘The Play That Goes Wrong‘ Leaves Audiences Roaring with Side-Splitting Laughter...

Metal Hall of Fame Rocks Out During NAMM Weekend in Anaheim

The Metal Hall of Fame Rocks Anaheim, CA during NAMM Weekend...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Goldie Collins uses her ‘Animal Instinct’ in the WOW Tag Team Division – Interview

Goldie Collins and her Animal Instinct tag team partner, Katarina Jinx...

Top Tier Talk About the Season Premiere of WOW – Women Of Wrestling – Interview

Top Tier Talk About the WOW Season Premiere and being named...

WOW and Pluto TV Tag Team with a New Channel – SDCC News

WOW – Women Of Wrestling has a new tag team partner...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents – Valentine’s day special 2025 pt 1

Ok you got me, I don't surf.

Fantoy Comics Presents – A REPRINT!

Oop!

Fantoy Comics Presents – THINGS TO COME 2025 pt 4

J-Hope's Animal Mystery Squad

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
John Dawson Talks His Cody Rhodes Inspired Song ‘Under All the Lights’ – Interview

Canadian Singer/Songwriter John Dawson Talks About His Cody and Brandi Rhodes...

Composer Youssef Guezoum Nominated for Two HMMA Awards – Interview

Moroccan born composer, Youssef Guezoum takes his adopted country by storm...

Isabella Summers Talks Composing for the Animated Feature ‘Hitpig!’ – Interview

‘Hitpig!‘ Composer, Isabella Summers Talks About Composing for the Indie Animated...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Michael Hirsh Made Gen X Citizens Via his ‘Animation Nation’ – Interview

Legendary Animator, Michael Hirsh goes from Immigrant to Emperor in his...

Billy Eddy Talks His new Book ‘Our New World of Adult Bullies’ – Interview

Lawyer, Mediator and Personality Expert Bill Eddy Provides a Six-Step Strategy...

Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan Unveils Halo Collar 4 – Interview

Cesar Millan Unveils Halo Collar 4: A Game-Changer for the Safety...

Artista Cigars Unveils Name Change For Two Cigar Lines – News

Artista Cigars Unveils Packaging Redesign and Name Change for Puro Ambar...

Artista Cigars Announces David Ortiz Hall of Fame Cigars – News

Artista Cigars Announces Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz Hall of...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...