Parents' Guide to

Always Be My Maybe

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Upbeat romcom has some swearing, sex, drugs.

Movie PG-13 2019 101 minutes
Always Be My Maybe Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 7 parent reviews

age 13+

A fun film about SF, food and Reeves!

This film is grounded by a few surprising turns. The story with Marcus' mom is haunting and when it finally comes back around at the end of the film I was definitely manipulated and emotionally charged. The underlying critiques of San Francisco gentrification, uplifting Asian cuisine for a Western palette and the tension with cuisine authenticity is awesome! Then of course there is Keanu Reeves!!! Fantastic! Hands down most exemplary cameo. Highlighting his importance as an Asian American superstar actor and how important he is for the larger Asian American film scene. His cameo is also hilarious! It's wonderful to see him make fun of himself and his fame. The end credits song about Marcus' encounter with Keanu Reeves nails down the delight!
age 16+

Has some funny parts.

This title has:

Too much sex

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (4):

What could have been a routine, predictable fairy tale stands out thanks to spirited performances, spot-on cultural observations, and an appearance by a movie star eager to poke fun at himself. Always Be My Maybe is a collaborative effort by people who had a common goal and let vanity fall away to find the humor in two characters stumbling their way toward a lifelong connection. And the food, whether gloriously pretentious or marvelously homey, is a tasty side dish to the main story.

That said, it's a good but not great movie. There's minimal stereotyping (Sasha's parents bear the brunt of it), but for the most part the characterizations are thin and unsurprising. And situations are often farcical, though appealing. It's still worth a look, and it's great to see another mainstream movie tackling representation in a positive way.

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