'Always Be My Maybe' (Movie Review)

The movie begins...

Grab popcorn, salted or sweet, and get ready to relax to a movie. Dim lighting or complete utter darkness. It's still and sound reaches out and consumes you. Finally, the movie begins

Let's look at the next Netflix production released in the end of May. Always Be My Maybe; the title of the movie hints to romance and friendship, about two friends who, in no doubt, love each other, but are too close to jump that bridge. Well, we weren't in for a surprise. The movie began with a photo reel of children clearly in a close relationship AKA BBF's! and develops into different ages and years. We now know this is a childhood love story.

Let's move on...

The scene starts quite emotionally—Sasha is left alone to fend for herself, but as we already know, her best friend, Marcus, becomes her aid. That’s where we learn about Sasha’s difficulties in the home, and it further explains why the bond between her and Marcus is so close. He helped her survive, he provided for her, catered to her needs. He was her rock. In no doubt, this friendship has a solid foundation

The rest of the scenes skim through to show progression in age—they look different, the year is different, yet their friendship is unbroken.

But there is one thing that can make things pretty awkward in a friendship. Sex. This is what the two besties got involved in at a very emotional time for Marcus. His mom died, and he had become emotionally still. He was failing to cater to her needs. So Sasha did what she thought was best, and leaned in for a ‘pity’ kiss. Which obviously led to sex, because they were both vulnerable.

It is a common theme that after sex, people want to eat food, and that is exactly what the ‘couple’ did. But who knew food could cause so much drama? Words were said, and actions weren’t undone. They separated. In the next scene, we discovered that that moment was the beginning of their 16-year drift apart.

So far, this movie has done well in terms of equality. With a mostly Asian cast and Asian leads, women having leading jobs in the movie, and owning their sexuality. Sasha becomes a top chef, engaged to an older man. Successful. Marcus smokes weed,lives with his dad, is a small local musician. The separation favored one and disadvantaged the other. This represents how much these friends need each other, hence why their reconnection is so quick and easy, and makes their lives better, happier.

Sasha moves back to her hometown preparing to open her new restaurant, and funnily requires electrical maintenance for her fantastic mansion—questionable? Yes. But all is revealed when Marcus and his dad, Harry, show up at her door to ‘fix’ her electrical problems. I guess the real electrical problem was the faded spark in the ex-best friends’ hearts that was about to be ignited by their reconnection.

Of course, things were awkward at first, however, situations developed very quickly. First off, Sasha had time, in her busy schedule, to attend Marcus’s show. This led TO Marcus driving Sasha home. WHEN DID THEY GET SO COMFORTABLE?! Clearly, their love is coming back. Then Sasha and Marcus start texting, and suddenly Sasha is single and hanging out with Marcus. So everything appears back to normal.

After a bold confrontation from the couple-to-be, they realize they like each other… from back then till now, and the spark becomes a fire. They become one again. By that I mean they had sex. Then they became boyfriend and girlfriend.

Just like sweet and sour sauce, their new budding relationship was sweet—in the honeymoon phase. But things turned sour as reality hit the couple's… careers. Was Marcus going to quit the band to follow Sasha?

Of course! He wouldn’t…

Marcus had pride, he felt less manly if he followed after his woman, and he wasn’t into that. They exchanged hurtful words, and it seemed like they were about to drift apart again.

Sasha left.

When we all think that this is the beginning of the end for the desperate couple, Marcus gets a shocker from his father, Harry, which pricks him up the butt. Harry has gotten close to another woman, the first woman after his wife’s death; the tragedy that shook Marcus as a little boy.

He learns that in life, you have to go for what you want; you can’t let things hold you back. And that’s when he starts calling.