Reviews: Always Be My Maybe, Late Night

A Double Feature Review!

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Always Be My Maybe

Like a modern take of When Harry Met Sally, Always Be My Maybe is a charming film that will put a smile on your face. Actor’s Ali Wong and Randall Park will cast a spell on you with their irresistible chemistry. Always Be My Maybe drives down familiar rom-com tropes but has enough layers to keep the ball rolling. It’s a lovely movie that blends smart social commentary and inhabits experiences of Asian-American culture. Director Nahnatchka Khan (Producer of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and Fresh Off the Boat) wonderfully crafts the story through every laugh and groovy beat. Our film follows childhood sweethearts who have had a falling out and don't speak for 15 years.

They reconnect as adults when Sasha (a never better Wong), now a celebrity chef opening a restaurant in San Francisco, runs into Marcus (a funny Park), a happily struggling musician still living at home working for his dad. From there, the film builds upon Sasha and Marcus’ relationship that keeps them together and never losing site. You will laugh all throughout this charming movie, Wong and Park’s comedic chemistry is killer. And just when you thought you’ve seen it all, wait until you see Keanu Reeves! Reeves plays a fictional egotistical version of himself and it’s hilarious. Reeves steals the show with his whimsy and smolder. He’s a knockout for the brief amount of time he’s on the screen. Always Be My Maybe is an infectious movie you don’t want to miss. It’s streaming on Netflix and I guarantee it will put a smile on your face.

Always Be My Maybe is rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Advise). For sexual content, drug use/references, and language.

Directed by Nahnatchka Khan

Starring Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves, Michelle Buteau, Vivian Bang, Karan Soni, Daniel Dae Kim, and James Saito.

Late Night

Funny and timely, Late Night is a comedic journey with a lot of heart. Written by Mindy Kaling (The Office and The Mindy Project), Late Night is a hilarious film that tackles a variety of issues, including sexism in the workplace. The film hits hard on its social satire, commentary, and is brought to life by a terrific cast (Kaling, Emma Thompson, John Lithgow, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Max Casella, Denis O'Hare, Ike Barinholtz, and Amy Ryan). Thompson, especially, is a complete knockout. Thompson plays Katherine Newbury, a female late-night host whose ratings have declined. She’s also lost the ability to deliver her punchlines. We all know the long-time lack of a female host on late-night television speaks to the story’s relevance, but Kaling’s woke script goes further by showing how Katherine has spent years in the trenches without helping other working women rise in the ranks. Kaling has experienced this real-life struggle as a working woman of color.

Kaling spent year’s building her own sitcom (The Mindy Project) and knows the system needs to be fixed for people of color. In addition, Katherine’s all-white-male writing staff is in need of a revamp, cue Ms. Kaling. Kaling plays Molly Patel, a chemical-plant efficiency expert from suburban Pennsylvania with no writing experience. Katherine’s hires Molly mainly on the basis that she is an Indian woman and she needs to bring diversity to the workplace. From there, our story deepens, and director Nisha Ganatra follows an anything goes lead for Kaling’s script. Thompson and Kaling’s chemistry is dynamite and will have you laughing until your sides hurt. Thompson fires off one-liners and Kaling spares no prisoner with her crisp script. Thompson and Kaling are female warriors and Late Night puts them right in center screen. In the end, Late Night delivers through charisma, heart, and a dash of comic gold.

Late Night is rated R (Restricted). For language throughout and some sexual references.

Directed by Nisha Ganatra

Starring Mindy Kaling, Emma Thompson, John Lithgow, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Max Casella, Denis O'Hare, Ike Barinholtz, and Amy Ryan