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Movie Review: ‘Am I OK?’ is a charming comedy about friendship that features Dakota Johnson’s endearing genuineness.

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Movie Review: ‘Am I OK?’ is a charming comedy about friendship that features Dakota Johnson’s endearing genuineness.

Naturally, we begin with a veggie burger.

The 30-year-old best friends Lucy and Jane can easily recite Lucy’s usual order at the diner—a veggie burger and sweet potato fries—when they meet again.

Therefore, Jane’s expression shows a hint of hurt when Lucy goes rogue and requests a tomato and spinach omelette late in “Am I Ok?” Even though it was simply a veggie burger, it seems absurd, but to Jane, it represents a comforting, known object that is no longer in her life.

This is Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne’s directorial debut, and it’s filled with such lovely, subtle touches that work much better than the sporadic attempts at broad humour that come across as forced or, at the very least, as something else entirely.

Of course, Johnson is the main subject of the lingering camera the entire time, and with good reason—her unwavering genuineness consistently comes through in her roles, even when the material surrounding her occasionally falters.

This is a heartfelt, straightforward story. This is a story about a coming-out, but unlike most coming-out stories we encounter, the protagonist is 32 years old.

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The writer of the movie, Lauren Pomerantz, came out when she was 34. This particular narrative is hers. A few strikingly moving scenes reveal how intimately involved she is in the proceedings; one such instance is when Lucy experiences anguish while a straight woman plays with her feelings. It’s among the movie’s most poignant scenes.

We start at the aforementioned diner after an opening montage that sets up the female friendship at the centre of the film. Jane tells Lucy that she really should meet up with a certain cute male friend who clearly likes her: “Just do it,” she urges. Lucy is unable to give a reason for her refusal.

Jane, the more experienced of the two in terms of her career, is about to undergo a significant upheaval in her life. Her manager gives her the opportunity to go to London and open an office in Los Angeles. Her extremely nice partner is also starting to come around. However, Lucy is devastated by this news, as evidenced by the insincere manner she continues responding, “Wonderful!” when Jane breaks the news to her one evening over drinks.

The two friends end up crying together after drinking a lot of tequila, just like close friends do when they urinate in the bathroom and then later during a sleepover. Lucy admits to Jane that she likes girls there.

Jane is an unwavering source of support. Ever the aspirant, she actually tells Lucy that she will become “the star of the lesbian community.” And she decides to assist her in finding a woman, going so far as to take her out to a gay bar. On the dance floor, though, it’s Jane who ends up kissing a woman. Lucy, ashamed, runs away.

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However, Lucy works as a receptionist at a spa where there’s this sensual massage. Lucy is finally brave enough to respond to Brittany’s intense flirtation. She helps Lucy come out of her shell, but the outcome is ultimately depressing. Moreover, Lucy is no longer seeing Jane, who was typically the first person she would call in a heartbreak.

Though this film centres on two friends, you will find yourself most invested in Lucy’s life as you watch the incredibly likeable Johnson manage grief and uncertainty. A last-minute setback to Jane’s carefully thought-out plans for her trip to London seems a little improbable, or perhaps it just feels forced in as if to imply that, well, both ladies have problems.

Whatever the case, this month has been fantastic for female buddy comedy. While Pamela Adlon’s comedy “Babies” focused heavily on the chaos that comes with childbirth, “Am I OK?” aims for a more tender, poignant tone. It’s satisfying to be back where we started, discussing issues at that restaurant table. The moral of the story is straightforward but reassuring: friendships can endure and grow despite change.

even if an omelette triumphs against a vegetarian burger.

The Motion Picture Association has rated Warner Bros.’ “Am I OK?” R “for language, sexual references, and some drug use.” 86 minutes of running time. An overall rating of 2.5 stars out of 4.

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Laid stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet reveal the worst gifts their romantic partners gave them | Exclusive

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Laid stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet reveal the worst gifts their romantic partners gave them | Exclusive

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Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet talk about their new series Laid, and some of the horrors of dating as millennials.
Imagine a scenario where anyone and everyone you have ever been intimate with begins to die one by one. Is it a curse? If yes, then who is cursed? These are questions that Stephanie Hsu‘s Ruby battles with in the new zany comedy, Laid. Ahead of the show’s release, Stephanie and co-star Zosia Mamet spoke exclusively with HT about their roles, the show’s unique premise, and the horrors of dating as millennials. (Also read: Dune: Prophecy star Emily Watson on working with Tabu: ‘She is a true treasure’)

Stephanie Hsu on her character’s flawed morality

Laid, created by Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna, is the story of Ruby (Stephanie Hsu), who discovers that all her sexual partners are dying one by one, and she must warn them. Helping her in this unique quest is her best friend AJ (Zosia). The fun thing about Laid is that the protagonists are not the usual likeable characters. “She is totally an anti-hero of our story. I really love that,” says Stephanie, referring to Ruby’s moral greyness. “I am not a perfect person and I love playing flawed characters. But it was difficult. The creators told me that she is a total narcissist. But narcissists don’t think they are one, so I had to figure out a way to love her. For me, playing Ruby was about getting into her psychology and finding the innocent part of her – which is that she just wants love,” the actor adds.

While sitcoms usually add the best friend as the voice of reason trope, Laid diverges from that, with AJ even zanier and more morally ambiguous than Ruby. Talking about playing such a colourful character, Zosia Mamet says, “When you play not-so-likable or zany characters, people don’t believe they are that way. I don’t think AJ wakes up every morning and thinks, ‘I am absolutely crazy’. It’s about trusting the writing and finding an organic way into these characters to make them seem grounded, real, and relatable.”

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Stephanie, Zosia reveal the worst gifts they received from partners

In Laid, Ruby gives the gift of death to the men she is with, even if that is inadvertent. Ask the women about the worst ‘gift’ a partner has ever given them, and the discussions veer into the unusual horrors of modern-day dating. “I got a vintage wooden duck decoy from someone. It was broken, and I thought, ‘What does this say about our relationship?’. They didn’t know me well enough to know if I’d want this but also that they gave me something old and ailing,” Zosia says with a laugh.

Group Media Publications
Entertainment News Platforms – anyflix.in      
Construction Infrastructure and Mining News Platform – https://cimreviews.com/
General News Platform – https://ihtlive.com/

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