A smart and sexy story about two friends heading in different directions.
“Am I OK” is another entertaining movie about discovering one’s self and how a certain friendship can take a detour. It has two fine leads in the forms of Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Muzuno, and it’s directed with passion by the married couple Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne.
We meet two best friends Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Muzuno) in Los Angeles, who have their chemistry and rules within their friendship. For example, they’re have their drinking and jogging schedule, but Jane’s rule is that they eat muffin half now and half later. That way they have something to look forward to. It doesn’t make sense to Lucy, but it makes sense to me. When I’m ushering, I usually would like to take my break in the center of my schedule. I’m just saying that as an example.
But you know what. I don’t want to make my review about muffins or break time. I want to talk about what these best friends do and what they learn in life.
Lucy is a former painter, now working as receptionist, while not having sexual interests in any relationship. She admits to her friend that she’s discovered she may be a lesbian, and doesn’t know if she is happy.
Jane is up for a promotion, which would transfer her back in her home country in London, kudos to her boss (Sean Hayes). She leaves in six months.
Of course, as with every great friendship, there is always a break-up. And based on how these two struggle to help one another out and blame each other, they have to close it with FU.
Lucy inspired to pursue her crush-her flirtatious co-worker Brittney (Kiersey Clemons), while Jane lives with her boyfriend Danny (Jermaine Fowler) and spends time with her self-absorbed co-worker Kat (Molly Gordon). I could go without the Gordon character, because she doesn’t offer any help in Lucy’s drama, and feels obligatory for a comic relief character without vulnerabilities. But she’s the least of our worries, because we have better charisma from Clemons, who knows how to be delicious, and Fowler, who has his vulnerabilities and consideration.
“Am I Ok” represents how a person can take her time to figure out if she’s gay or straight. Some people can’t figure it out, and we should acknowledge that. And I think the poster with Johnson crying makes that clear. I did mention that she can’t carry blockbusters like “50 Shades of Grey” or “Madame Web,” but I also mentioned she can act in other films like “The Peanut Butter Falcon” or “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” And she acts very well in this movie, because of how she presents her cynicism and curiosity.
Mizuno’s acting credits include “La La Land,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Shortcomings,” and “Civil War,” and in “Am I Ok,” she delivers with the right tone and attitude as Jane. She also has a low key representation of a woman leaving America for a new job. How would her friends react to that is real. And how the turmoil in her life urges her to leave sooner is consistent.
“Am I Ok” has a few flaws, but they get overshadowed by the leading performances and its own representation on life, whether we’re talking about LGBT interests or job transfers. It’s definitely something to watch on online.
Now Streaming on Max