Both Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno have great chemistry with each other and are incredibly delightful, and there are a couple of good jokes; however, Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne’s directorial debut “Am I Ok?” is that film you have seen a million times. It’s woefully flat and painfully formulaic.
Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) are the best-est of friends in the whole wide world, to the point where they know everything about each other. The film begins in a diner, where Jane already knows that Lucy will order a veggie burger with sweet potato fries and an iced coffee. Things are going great for both of them, but their relationship begins to fracture when they are given some news, one internally and the other professionally. Jane gets offered a promotion partnership job in her hometown London while Lucy reveals a long-held secret. Now, by this point, you should be able to know what will happen in the entire story, and we’re not even 15-minutes into the movie. Jane tries to help Lucy find a girl and figure things out, and in the midst of that, their friendship is thrown into chaos.
‘Am I Ok?’ Follows a Classic, Formulaic Approach
The best friends separate for a while; both struggle with their respective encounters, and not only their relationship is fractured, but others around them as well. Unfortunately, that is one of the main problems of “Am I Ok?;” it’s so painfully obvious, and the audience knows every step the movie takes by memory. Some films follow the classic formula and go out successfully thanks to the direction, pacing, cinematography, script, and cast (“CODA,” “Girl Picture,” etc.).
Still, Notaro and Allynne don’t know how to separate this film from the others in most aspects. It doesn’t make much of an effort in terms of creativity, resulting in being woefully flat with barely any impact. The movie also sets up big questions that would most likely introduce us to a less formulaic narrative, but doesn’t answer them, leaving them floating in the air as if much didn’t happen. In addition, there’s the classic underwritten side characters, one of them being quite annoying; several jokes don’t land, and Notaro’s appearance and hammock section are incredibly cringeworthy.
Both Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno have great chemistry with each other and are incredibly delightful…”
Some Bright Spots; but ‘Am I Ok?’ Could Have Reached Deeper
One of “Am I Ok?’s” bright spots is that it focuses on a pair of thirty-year-olds finding their places in life, both professionally and within themselves. Most coming-of-age flicks deal with some of the same topics and age groups, so it was interesting to see that the directors went with this approach. The other positive note I have on the film is the chemistry between Johnson and Mizuno; they’re charming. It feels like they’re friends in real life, behind the camera. It’s the way they express themselves with ease and comfort, making the audience feel close to them. I also like that people are connecting with this movie on several levels.
But, yet again, “Am I Ok?” does feel like this could have been something more significant and brighter. It could have been a film that explored being in your thirties and not knowing what to do (a “Cha Cha Real Smooth” version, yet with your 30s of some sort) in several ways (relationships, job, companionship, and all). Still, unfortunately, it makes the lamentably move to create an uninspired film.
This review was written from day 6 of Sundance Film Festival’s 2022 programming.
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