Anything’s Possible Movie Review

Have we seen this romance storyline before? To be completely honest, yes. To a degree. That being the case, we haven’t seen it like this.

What makes this a must-see is how authentic it feels and how honest first-time director Billy Porter stays in order to show us this beautiful love story. He does this without diverting our attention with cheap theatrics and implausible scenarios. One way Porter achieves his goal is by giving his audience a newbie by the name of Eva Reign, who plays Kelsa.

Reign, a Brooklyn-based actress, is someone you’ll see much more of. Simply put, she is this movie. With this, Reign makes her feature film debut, one she can own. She has been in five episodes of a series called “Sideways Smile,” but not much more. I have to add that this was an excellent decision on her part.

 

If you don’t know the storyline, you could be puzzled about why it opens with comparisons about survival. It all falls into place when finding out it’s about Kelsa’s final year of high school. Everyone in the school knows that Kelsa is transgender. The companions in her life fully support her while others snicker behind her back. The movie isn’t just about that, but about how Kelsa meets Khal (Abubakr Ali) in art class. He’s someone who thought of himself as straight until he falls in love with the person Kelsa is, no matter what gender she happens to be.

This is the age of the internet and cell phones, so they immediately look one another up online. Kelsa detests the idea of people wanting to know her only to be “woke” and hopes this isn’t the case with Khal.

Her videos go deeply into being accepted for who she is. Khal watches, knowing Kelsa has nothing to fear. She might not, but Khal does when his parents find out who he currently has a crush on.

Khal brings Kelsa some flowers, which is the beginning of an ugly situation. But not for the reason you might believe. No spoilers! As the film brilliantly declares, how can you live YOUR life based on what other people may or may not think?

 

There are a few awkward moments between them while they dash and dance through Khal figuring out how to maneuver through his new life. He’s so timid that Kelsa has to keep making the first move. She’s not at all shy and it comes easy to her, as long as she knows he feels the same way.

But there comes a time Kelsa puts herself first, something she hasn’t always done. Those in her life haven’t either. Here, we start the final act of the plot, where even more politics of the day come into play.

Don’t be afraid to jump in and see “Anything’s Possible.” Though it’s a little too long, the story, the friendships, the politics and, more importantly, the love are managed well. The very end is a call back to something in the beginning. You’ll adore Kelsa’s final response.

Anything’s Possible

 

Director: Billy Porter
Writer: Ximena García Lecuona
Starring: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Eva Reign, Abubakr Ali, Simone Joy Jones

Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 36m
Genre: Drama, Romance, Trangender

MGM, Orion Pictures, Amazon Studios

Producer: Christine Vachon, David Hinojosa, Andrew Lauren, D.J. Gugenheim

Release Date (Streaming on Prime): Jul 21, 2022

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tmc.io contributor: ShariK.Green tmc
I'm the Sr. Film Writer and Community Manager for tmc.io. I write, direct and produce short films with my production company, Good Stew Productions. Though it's difficult to answer this question when asked, I'd say my favorite movie is “The Big Chill.” I enjoy photography, poetry, and hiking and I adore animals, especially elephants. I live in Arizona and feel it's an outstanding and inspirational place to live.

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