On the last day of Pride Month, I’m closing it out with a review of a 2022 Sundance hit that is just now landing on MAX. Starring Madame Webb herself, Am I OK is the directorial debut of Tig & Stephanie. There are so many directing duos out there, from the Coens, The Wachowskis, and The Daniels to this married couple, I feel like they need a name to combine them, but Stephanie didn’t take Tig’s last name. But, I’ve seen this couple represented before on screen, and they are freaking adorable together, so I was really excited to see what they could direct.
I mean, it’s not a bad film, but I understand why its distribution stalled. It is a film I will forget, but was fine enough for a first time watch. Johnson plays half of a pair of best friends forever, whose life is upended when her BFF announces she’s taking a job in London, and leaving Johnson behind. At the same time, our protagonist is stuck in a relationship she really doesn’t want to be in, and this leads her to the realization that she is a lesbian. So, figuring out your sexuality in your 30’s. That is what this is about.
One of my favorite parts about this, because I see those dating apps. Dudes with no heads. Johnson is looking at joining a dating app, and she’s hesitant. Her friend asks her why she’s hesitating, and her answer is “then everyone will know”, to which her friend responds “that’s kind of the point”. I don’t know how it works for lesbians, but guys are supposed to choose from a sea of faceless men, showing off either their chest, or if allowed, that *other* body part men can’t stop taking photos of.
But, Dakota Johnson does a nice job navigating this whole “first time lesbian” thing, as she develops a crush on a possible romantic love interest (Kiersey Clemons), and in the midst still has to deal with her friend’s imminent departure. She’s better here than in Madame Webb, but Johnson has also had better performances. I can easily, without the use of iMDB, peg at least two. Cha Cha Real Smooth and Black Mass. While not a career high for her, it’s also far from being a low.
Considering how Tig’s ability to deadpan all these great stories in her act, i was expecting this to be funnier, but it is just directed by them.It’s not a bad feature start, but I don’t know that it builds confidence toward a second project from the couple. The audio description track is particularly strong, especially considering all the screentime characters have. There are beats, and subtle facial expressions, and Darren Rivets does a nice job narrating the audio description that Deluxe put together for her. I’m not sure it’s exceptional audio description, but it is perfectly fine. I lacked a moment where I just thought something was so perfectly handled, instead just realizing that I had a really solid grasp of what the film was, who these characters were, and the main spaces they tended to fill.
Ironically, for a film called Am I OK? The answer is Yes. OK. Not great. Just OK.
Final Grade: B-
