Direction: Tig Notaro, Stephanie Allyne
Country: USA
Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allyne teamed up to direct Am I OK?, a comedy-drama centered on the anxieties and vulnerabilities of coming out later in life and the intricate paths of friendship. Written by Laura Pomerantz, the film stars Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno, who are not only convincing in their roles but often funny.
Lucy (Johnson) and Jane (Mizuno) are longtime best friends. Lucy works in a spa and just realized she might be gay after a a negligible, unsuccessful, and vapid number of relationships with men. Jane, promoted by her boss and ready to move to London, tries to help her friend navigate her complex affairs with an excessively self-assured temperament that is not always helpful. In the desperation of finding the path to love, things only get more confused and complicated.
Radiating warmth and humor, the film’s main strength lies in two beautifully observed complementary performances, hitting the mark in its attempt to generate sympathy for the characters’ struggles. If the ending had been better imagined and less predictable, viewers would have an even stronger incentive to watch it.
