It has long been said that when writing a story, a book, a novel, a film, write about what you know. It brings authenticity and resonance that is grounded in real emotion and truth. And that’s exactly what writer/director Michelle Ehlen does with MAYBE SOMEDAY, an engaging and hopeful film.
Drawing on her own divorce and cross-country move west as a foundation for MAYBE SOMEDAY, Ehlen stars as Jay, a non-binary photographer in her 40s, battling denial and depression during a forced “time out” from her wife Lily. Ever hopeful that Lily will “find herself”, Jay’s denial that the marriage may actually be over is so strong that it is almost crippling. Stopping at the home of high school best friend Jess to regroup before moving onward to Los Angeles or heading back to Lily, so desperate for love and companionship and stuck in the past, Jay gets mired in memories of her unrequited secret love for Jess, a torch she held long before ever coming out as a lesbian.
Crawling deeper and deeper inside herself, wallowing in past dreams of Jess and fear of confessing same now, as well as her past with Lily and love in general, Jay is stuck; that is until she meets Tommy, a gregarious, outgoing gay man who long ago gave up on love. Slowly, without her realizing it, Jay starts getting out of her own way (but for constantly checking her old-school cell phone for hoped-for texts from Lily) thanks to Tommy. A friendship develops that is real and engaging. There is laughter and joy and lots of hijinks, including a drag show with Jay and Tommy as the “stars” that brings out the best in everyone. But what happens when not a text, but a phone call comes from Lily. Is Jay ready for whatever comes next?
Ehlen has a great grasp on the cinematic elements of storytelling and uses them to excellent advantage to bring this story to life, starting with the story itself.
Finding a believable and resonant balance between joy and sorrow, heartbreak and humor, we are able to see Jay’s emotional growth as she slowly finds courage and footing to hopefully move on. It takes a lot of laughter and tears to put one foot in front of the other and pick up the pieces after a heartbreak and loss, and Ehlen shows us all the teary emotional details.
A real joy in MAYBE SOMEDAY is the relationship between Jay and Tommy. It is beautiful to watch. Both are wounded. Tommy hides his scars with laughter. Jay breaks through her pain with laughter. Keenly, Ehlen keeps us in Jay’s POV and her story. As much as we enjoy Tommy and want to know his sad story during a third act s’mores scene, Ehlen doesn’t stray from the story’s focus be it visually or on the page. Smart move.
Impressive is Wenting Deng Fisher’s work as cinematographer. Flashbacks are not only well done but well placed within the film thanks to Ehlen who also serves as editor. With the flashbacks, use of color and lighting changes. There is more saturation that slowly moves into a bright angelic white canvas while the camera goes from close-ups of Jess and Jay as kids and teens and with each flashback, widens out as they mature and grow apart as you do when you grow up. Very nice metaphor. In present day Jess and Jay are initially shot wider and as the story progresses, frame tightens as they get closer. In present day, the visuals are kept tonally light and bright and fresh but for nights when Jay is alone curled up in bed when things are grey, dour, and depressing. We feel Jay’s emotional disconnect with life.
Refreshing and welcoming is the beauty of the vivid greens of nature not only as transition shots, but serving as a fresh palette for Jay to start a new life. The visual tonal bandwidth of MAYBE SOMEDAY gives us the emotional promise of a new day.
Casting is well done. Chad Steers is fabulous as Tommy and his chemistry with Ehlen as Jay is terrific. You really root for a BFF friendship between Tommy and Jay. Standout are Eliza Blair and Cameron Norman as young Jay and young Jess, respectively. Those two soar, particularly Blair as she navigates the youthful unrequited love as well as coming out to her friends. Shaela Cook is solid as divorced, single mother Jess now embarking on her own post-divorce path by dating. A nice casting touch is Jessica Graham in a small role as a cuddle workshop instructor, a perfect role for Graham.
But this is Ehlen’s film to win or lose and while there are moments watching you want to be Cher in “Moonstruck” and reach through the screen and slap Jay and yell “Snap out of it!”, there is not a moment of insincerity in her performance. You feel her pain. You feel her stuck in the mud of life and the fear of the future. Palpable. Resonant.
But I can’t say enough about the fun and entertainment that the drag performance brings. The costumes, hair, and make-up are to die for fun!
The beauty of MAYBE SOMEDAY is that it’s not “an LGBTQ movie.” It’s a story about love and heartbreak and finding oneself that just happens to be made by a non-binary filmmaker with a lesbian protagonist. Love and heartbreak are universal. Everybody has had their heart broken at some point in their life. Everybody has been dumped. And hopefully, everybody has been able to pick themselves up and move on with joy and not be crushed by the past sadness. There is not a moviegoer out there who can’t relate to MAYBE SOMEDAY on some level.
Written and Directed by Michelle Ehlen
Cast: Michelle Ehlen, Chad Steers, Shaela Cook, Eliza Blair, Cameron Norman, Jessica Graham
by debbie elias, 03/25/2022
