Dakota Johnson is asking herself what we all have at one time or another: “Am I OK?”
Johnson stars in the simply titled feature that premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Tig Notaro co-directs with her wife and fellow comedian Stephanie Allynne from a semi-autobiographical script written by Lauren Pomerantz.
Johnson stars as 30something Lucy who realizes she is a lesbian just as her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) announces she’s moving from Los Angeles to London for work. As Lucy’s life is upended, she’s suddenly floating through a queer dating pool without the life raft of Jane.
Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, and Sean Hayes also star, along with co-director Notaro.
Screenwriter Pomerantz told Entertainment Weekly that “Am I OK?” began as a “friendship movie” centered on her actual best friend Jessica Elbaum, who serves as a producer on the film. However, the feature became a coming-out dramedy instead.
“I took my whole coming out late story, and I used that, and I really based it on a real-life friendship with my best friend Jessica [Elbaum], who is also a producer on this movie,” Pomerantz said. “I started writing it as a friendship movie based on our friendship. We had sort of a big fight, and then we’re friends again, but then simultaneously, I was struggling to come out. And so I realized that was the story that I really wanted to tell.”
The IndieWire review credited Johnson’s “very charming comedic turn” for being a highlight of the film.
“While Lucy’s journey — coming to terms with one’s sexuality beyond the usual coming-of-age story is not something we normally see onscreen, particularly with such comedic trappings — is a tough one, Johnson keeps Lucy grounded, relatable, and someone you can’t help but cheer for,” critic Kate Erbland penned. “Johnson is aces at this open-hearted comedy stuff, just as appealing when she’s falling off a bed to literally avoid a man as she is repeatedly sobbing over the state of her life (Dakota Johnson: wonderful onscreen crier). ‘Am I OK?’ sweetly champions the power of strong female friendships, it also understand something essential: If you don’t like yourself, having a BFF who adores you is really only half the battle.”
“Am I OK?” premieres June 6 on Max. Check out the trailer below.
