Movie rec: Always be my Maybe (Netflix)

"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78)
06/17/2019 at 10:34 • Filed to: None

This came out on Netflix at the end of May and I’ve already seen it twice. I can’t recommend it enough — I generally HATE anything resembling a Rom Com, but this one is also a solid comedy, as well as a Buddy Flick and an awkward coming-of-age drama at the same time.

I prefer to see movies without even knowing the synopsis, but I’ll just say it has a little something for everyone:

Stoner trip-hop band? Check

Randall Park (the dad from Fresh off the Boat ) — hilarious

Ali Wong — not a huge fan of her standup, but she does well here.

Awkward family dysfunction - yup

Hilariously satirical celebrity douchebag in supporting role — absolutely

This might sound like a stretch, but to me it’s very reminiscent of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in a lot of ways — both set in SF, guy is a musician/artist with no real job, hilarious parents from the “old country”, and he’s awkwardly trying to maintain a relationship with a girl who is out of his league.

Randall Park is the lead singer of the band (the beautifully named “Hello Peril”) and collaborated with Dan the Automator on the three tracks they recorded for the soundtrack. This is the only one that doesn’t really have any spoilers, so I’ll share here.

DISCUSSION (27)

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 10:53

I rather enjoyed it, and definitely recommend it. It’s basically Notting Hill 2.0 , with a much better cameo. I was a little taken back by the similarities after watching but I quickly got over it.

I didn’t realize the parallels to Axe Murderer . But, you’re right about that. I also particularly liked Hello Peril for some reason.

TrickJos > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:02

I really like this one too. I can’t get Hello Peril’s songs out of my head!

InFierority Complex > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:03

I like it a lot. I t’s become kind of my background noise movie while I’m working which may sound like faint praise but I’d disagree.

jminer > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:05

I really enjoyed the movie.

Keanu Reeves was fucking awesome in this role - absolutely hilarious!

Ash78, voting early and often > TrickJos
06/17/2019 at 11:06

BOUNCE BACK!

For Sweden > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:18

both set in SF, guy is a musician/artist with no real job

How is he not homeless

Ash78, voting early and often > For Sweden
06/17/2019 at 11:23

Suspension of disbelief...Also, he lives at home with dad (for most of it).

Mike Meyers? I think SF was a little more affordable in 1991.

For Sweden > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:24

Living with your parents is just a family-centric commune and is inherently socialist.

InFierority Complex > For Sweden
06/17/2019 at 11:25

He’s an HVAC installer that lives and works with his dad.

Ash78, voting early and often > For Sweden
06/17/2019 at 11:26

Precisely why most European-American families ditched this right about the time the Cold War started.

Coincidence? Nope. Domino effect.

Put your elderly in homes where they belong.

MUSASHI66 > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:40

I saw most of this while my wife watched it. Lets just say my feelings about it are much different. Just another generic, totally predictable netflix movie, this time with an asian twist. Only thing that stands out to me as a car geek is the Corolla sex scene.

promoted by the color red > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:58

They filmed part of the movie across the street from where my parents live, so that was pretty neat.

lone_liberal > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 11:59

I don’t know that Nancy Travis was out of Myers’s league. After all, she worked in a butcher shop. Also, HEAD!

TrickJos > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 12:01

Like a tennis ball!

Ash78, voting early and often > lone_liberal
06/17/2019 at 12:40

Don’t forget, before Bridget Jones and Jerry McGuire came out, the implication for every Rom-Com was that the girl was better than the guy. He’s a doofus and always messes stuff up along the way, but she finally comes around.

I’m not saying it’s sexism, just usually predictable. Also, Nancy Travis could sing “Only You” in several languages!

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 12:51

I loved it. Also, I love Ali Wong’s stand-up routines

Ash78, voting early and often > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
06/17/2019 at 12:53

I don’t HATE her standup, but it’s a lot higher bar for an attractive female to be self-deprecating enough for good standup. She’s naturally really funny. I like her supporting role in American Housewife, it works great for her.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 12:59

Watched it this weekend, very good.

Like the reference to So I Married an Axe Murderer.

this was 4.5/5 (the male lead character was a bit harsh a couple of times, but otherwise likeable. I suppose it added complexity. )

But Axe Murderer.... that is a solid 17/5, and I quote that movie almost weekly to this day, easily in my top 5 movies of all time.

Oh, I hated the colonel with his wee beady eyes... “ Oh, you’re going to buy my chicken, oh...”

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
06/17/2019 at 13:01

Agreed. Baby Cobra is hilarious. Hard Knock Wife was a bit more of the same, and a little bit more bitter, but still very funny.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > lone_liberal
06/17/2019 at 13:15

Another one of my favorite lines:

Thirty years ago today, May and I were married... and we haven’t agreed on a single thing since. Some of you were there. Some of you weren’t born. Some of you are now DEAD!

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > jminer
06/17/2019 at 13:24

I find it hilarious and very meta about Keanu playing himself, but also a character that is somewhat antithetical to his public perception as a nice, well-spoken, well-grounded good guy.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 13:33

Does she know the words to “ Only You”?

I don’t know, Tony, we haven’t reached that all too critical “Do you know the words to ‘Only You’” stage of the relationship...

Always Be My Maybe’s storyline seemed a little bit more driven from the female’s side of the relationship... the guy was the love interest, but Ali Wong’s Sasha Tran character was the primary protagonist, where Axe Murderer is a bit more from Mike Myers’ Charlie McKenzie perspective, in terms of who the camera chooses to follow most of the time when the other isn’t in the scene.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 13:40

Yeah, she’s great in American Housewife!

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 13:41

have you seen Mo Amer’s standup on netflix? My wife and I loved it!

Ash78, voting early and often > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
06/17/2019 at 15:31

True — but I think part of that is the growing equality of storylines all around (ie, fewer all-male production and writing teams).

I just couldn’t shake the feeling that it felt almost like how a reboot of Axe Murderer would look...

jminer > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
06/17/2019 at 16:15

Definitely - he started out in the role as his awesome self but then went further and further down the rabbit hole.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Ash78, voting early and often
06/17/2019 at 17:41

I thought it was good that way. Sasha Tran was a bit more buttoned down serious character than Ali Wong’s on-stage persona in her stand-up... but Ali Wong might have potential to approach Mike Myers’ comedic chops.

“Scotland has it’s own martial arts... called “Fu-Q`u”, but it is mostly head-butting people, then kicking them while they are on the ground.”

Kinja'd!!!

“ OH, LOOK, you’ve got one!”