For a genre saturated with rom-com movies ridden with unrealistic notions of what romance should look like, director Nahnatchka Khan’s Always Be My Maybe is a breath of fresh air. The 2019 romantic comedy has a genuine touch in many ways without following the stereotypical approach associated with movies of its ilk. A play-on-words of the title of Mariah Carey‘s 1996 song Always Be My Baby, the film explores the importance of remembering your roots no matter where life takes you.
Co-written by Ali Wong and Randall Park, who also play the lead roles, Always Be My Maybe was released theatrically on May 29, 2019, and debuted on Netflix on May 31, 2019. The film garnered acclaim for its top-notch comedy writing, compelling plot, and stellar performances by the cast with Keanu Reeves‘s cameo stealing the show. Overall, Always Be My Maybe checks all the boxes for the best rom-coms but it’s hardly getting the attention it deserves. Here’s why this underrated rom-com is a fun piece to add to your list of movies to binge on this Valentine’s Day.
What Is Always Be My Maybe About?
Always Be My Maybe explores the need to remember your roots regardless of how successful you are. The film follows childhood friends Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) and Marcus Kim (Randall Park) who reunite after 15 years. While Sasha is now a celebrity chef running her own business, Marcus is still living with his father and has his performances in a largely unsuccessful band as one of his biggest achievements. The former childhood sweethearts have also moved on with their love lives after the awkwardness that drove them apart following a sex romp at the back of Randall’s car as teenagers.
Set to marry Brandon Choi (Daniel Dae Kim), a successful restauranteur, Sasha appears to be living her dream life. However, Brandon’s self-centeredness gets in the way again, and they break up. Meanwhile, there are sparks of attraction building up between Sasha and Marcus but the different worlds they operate in pose a threat to rekindling the old flame. They go their separate ways again but love wins in the end.
Always Be My Maybe Breaks Many Rom-Com Tropes to Create Something New
Rom-com is one of the film genres with the highest number of tropes but Always Be My Maybe broke the jinx with its intelligent approach. The film didn’t take the conventional route of the lead characters disliking themselves at first because of the different worlds they come from just before an unlikely romance blooms. Always Be My Maybe explores the lead characters’ uniqueness, finding a compromise in their common sense of humor. Another way the film breaks rom-com tropes is by not establishing how the lead characters met. There is no dramatic meet-cute, it’s just two childhood friends who find love in each other after a few twists and turns.
Perhaps the most notable rom-com cliché the film avoided, Always Be My Maybe characters didn’t have to change their physical appearance to come across as appealing. Sasha retained her glasses and Marcus didn’t have to wear fancy clothes to appeal to her sense of style. The attraction came naturally. While Always Be My Maybe succeeded in carving out something new in the rom-com genre, it also adopts a few popular tropes, including the happy ending.
With Its Stellar Cast and Compelling Plot, It Deserves More Attention
Headlined by two Hollywood stars known for their comedic chops, Always Be My Maybe deserves a special place among the best rom-coms. Wong and Park’s onscreen chemistry is infectious and the genuine delivery of their roles is irresistible. Another outstanding cast member who got audiences talking is Keanu Reeves. Though brief, the John Wick star went over the top in his portrayal of Wong’s love interest, giving fans a glimpse of a version of himself in some alternate universe.
Always Be My Maybe garnered mostly favorable reviews from viewers and critics. The film has a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 99 reviews while the average rating is 7.1/10. Metacritic gave it a weighted average score of 64/100 based on reviews from 20 critics. While it received some mixed reviews, the rom-com boasts generally favorable reviews. However, it didn’t get deserving attention at the awards.
For her performance, Ali Wong was nominated for The Comedy Movie Star of 2019 at the People’s Choice Awards while Randall Park and Dan the Automator were nominated in the category for Best Original Song – I Punched Keanu Reeves by the 2019 Houston Film Critics Society Awards. However, they won the award at the 2019 Chicago Indie Awards. Though it didn’t get much love from the awards, Always Be My Maybe remains a hit.
Why You Should Add It to Your Watch List
Always Be My Maybe adopts a realistic approach to create an outstanding love story anyone can relate to. The plot deviates from the trend of having one protagonist give up their dreams to be with the other. Instead, Sasha and Marcus step out of their comfort zones and make necessary changes to meet each other in the middle. Overall, the film is easy to watch, with on-point humorous and emotional moments. Besides, Always Be My Maybe was written by two seasoned comedians who went out of their way to make something different from rom-com tropes. Watch Always Be My Maybe with your loved one through this link. For more endearing love stories, check out this list.
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