“Always Be My Maybe” Brings a Gorgeous, Ugly Laugh to the Rom-Com Game

There’re reviews you want to write because you liked the product, and reviews that you’re excited to write about because you’re going to be talking about it non-stop and others must know this joy too. I wasn’t even 10 minutes into Always Be My Maybe when I paused the film, went into the Black Nerd Problems Slack and told everyone, “I don’t know who is reviewing Always Be My Maybe, but it’s mine now.” Yo, I laughed so hard I almost threw up, man. That’s when I knew I’d be excited to write about this movie, because it is that damn good. What’s great to me about the pacing in Always Be My Maybe is the balance. There’s a genuine build of characters, hurt, loss, humor with the perfect amount of ridiculous. As Souls of Mischief ushers us into the film, we’re introduced to Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) as a young child, home alone, while her parents are working. Her friend Marcus Kim (Randall Park) comes over to invite her over for dinner because friendship and fuck having extra soup and bringing it to school in a thermos.

We then see how close Sasha is with the entire Kim family. Judy Kim (Susan Park) is the sweet mom that teaches Sasha cooking and the multipurpose use of scissors for everything. Harry Kim (James Saito) is the cool dad (we all want), and Marcus is that great friend that’s always there. Years later, Sasha is there for Marcus as the loss of his mother changes everything. As someone’s whose mom died, they had me right here. Dead parent shit is my shit. This death is what bri…