“He was a boy; she was a girl…” However, for the story we’re about to tell today, I think those next lines would be…he was cis and she was trans…? The Q26 is back baybee with another review for you – this month on our list is Amazon’s original rodramedy (a word coined by yours truly) - Anything’s Possible.

Anything’s Possible is a campy, coming-of-age tale that follows Kelsa, a confident high school girl – who happens to be trans - as she navigates her senior year. What was supposed to be the closing of a last chapter quickly becomes an epilogue when her classmate Khal develops a crush on her and the drama ensues. Despite protests from their peers, friendships hanging in the balance and the audacity of the cishets, Kelsa and Khal decide to live their lives for themselves. What unfolds is a romance that showcases the joy, tenderness, and pain of young love (Amazon, 2022).

Now that you’re caught up, can I just asdfghjkl for a minute?! Anything’s Possible has to be thee cutest shit I’ve seen from a teen romance like ever. And definitely a story worth telling for the kids! There were too many times to count that I caught myself dumb cheesing at Kelsa and Khal’s awkward cuteness! Or in stitches over Renee Elise Goldsberry’s performance as Kelsa’s mom. I mean I was already won over with a black trans female lead but they took it up a notch by weaving a story that shows the good parts of owning who you are – finding people who will love and cherish you for exactly who you are – and the tragic parts – grieving the people you thought were most important in your life. 

What’s more is Anything’s Possible sheds light on some of the daily struggles trans girls and trans women have to face in a sometimes despicable world – like being banned from women’s spaces or being rejected by those who claim to love them, or being terrorized by those who “don’t understand,” or simply being “protected” from well-meaning loved ones to the point of suffocation of autonomy. 

In my humble opinion, Anything’s Possible does a fantastic job of painting the real world, ugly truth of growing up as a trans girl intertwined with the beauty and joy that comes with growing up as a trans girl. It was refreshing to watch a story be told where the main focus wasn’t the trauma that others place on trans women; because if you ask me, we have enough of just the sad stories. 

Yes, being queer or trans means there will be hardships because the world is how it is. Yes cis and straight folks need to see and experience the harsh realities they foist upon queer and trans people. However, queer and trans people also know there’s so much beauty in not letting these non-existent, societal ‘rules’ box us in. We know the relief and joy that comes with freeing ourselves in such a way. And as a community, I feel we need more of the stories that show the decadence of queer and trans life instead of just the tragedies - because trust we are intimately aware of the tragedy.

With all the above being said, though, I do have to come through with my critiques. And the first is the use of AAVE (African American Vernacular English)- specifically AAVE coined by and for black queer and trans people during the ballroom era – in a few of the lines written for the white character Chris. Sure, this character’s best friends are both black so she’s bound to emulate what she’s around. Sure, this is a film directed towards the Gen-Z audience and they seem to be cornering the market on non-black people abusing AAVE due to its popularity. However, the use of AAVE by non-black folks just SHOULD NOT be encouraged. Periodt poo. Especially by a screenwriter who isn’t black themselves and I feel the responsibility of this was taken lightly. The responsibility being…just don’t do it if you ain’t black.

I also feel like the writers had such an opportunity to make Otis, Khal’s best friend, a cis-het male character with compassion, love and understanding for his friend, however, once again, we’re met with the overly aggressive douche bro who can’t see past his own ignorance. Frankly, at this point, it’s played out and what we don’t need is more depictions of transness constantly being met with male violence and disgust. Trans women already have to reconcile with this on a daily basis and they should at least be able to turn on a romantic dramedy and not be punched in the gut with this reality.

Further, while the ending of the movie fit perfectly with the theme of anything is possible and hope for the future, I felt short changed by it as a viewer with preconceived expectations. I definitely won’t be occupying that special little place in hell for people who spoil endings by spoiling this one for you but I will say this – I was a bit unsatisfied by it. 

And finally, I’ll critique myself in this review as I am not a trans woman. In watching this movie, I am strictly viewing it through a lens that isn’t personally my own. I have no doubt some of the elements I thought were cute or tasteful, didn’t actually translate that way for some trans girls. And for other trans girls, this movie might be exactly what they needed. I’m sure there are probably even some nuances that didn’t hit home for me quite like they will for a trans girl watching this or that went over my head completely. I only hope the things that Anything’s Possible got right will give them comfort and spark hope for the future. I only hope it lets them wholeheartedly believe that ‘Anything’s Possible’ for them.

Overall, I give Anything’s Possible a 7.5/10 for weaving a rich story full of joy, heartbreak, flaws and all! But like always say, why take my word for it? You can now watch Anything’s Possible on Amazon Prime Video and select other streaming services!