Almost, Sorta, Maybe (2023)

Smith’s Verdict: ***1/2

Reviewed by Tanner Smith

To start off this review of the indie romcom “Almost, Sorta, Maybe,” I’ll mention the moment in which this film had me and didn’t let me go until the end. It’s a moment that rings true to so many of us who are each trapped in an office job that is as unfulfilling as it is excruciatingly boring, and our protagonist, Liz, tells off her snooty, manipulative boss in such a fashion that results in…well, I won’t give away the surprise that would have made it meaningless had it not been handled with clever execution and care.

10 minutes in, and this moment was a sign. I laughed hard then, laughed many times in the remaining 95 minutes of running time, and kept a smile on my face when I wasn’t laughing.

But more importantly, I also felt for the main character. Liz, played wonderfully by Lindsay Weaver, is stuck in a job she doesn’t like, has gone through a horrible breakup with a creep, puts up with numerous cellphone calls from her nagging mother, and has a terrible self-image problem (“fat and ugly,” she describes herself to her sister Amy [Lauren Pope], a fitness instructor). She’d love to quit her job and pursue her dream to be a photographer. (She even weighs pros and cons of making important decisions–one of the comic highlights of this very funny movie is the way it plays with fantasy sequences.) Oh, and even though she’s not even 30 yet, she’s often referred to as “ma’am” due to her plain appearance.

Sheesh, I barely know this person and by the time the second act begins, I want to tell her it’s all going to be OK!

“Almost, Sorta, Maybe” is the film about Liz’s coming-of-age in quarter-life crisis and how she manages to be comfortable with herself. Thanks to a keenly layered script from filmmaking duo Patrick Poe & Lolo Loren (whose previous film I reviewed, Zoink, was also funny but completely different from this one) and a rich and vibrant performance from Lindsay Weaver, “Almost, Sorta, Maybe” is a romcom (romantic comedy) with refreshingly sharp edges and doesn’t go the usual routes you would expect in your typical comfort-food movie. For example, Liz gets an assistant: David (Zachary Weaver), the one male worker working in the office (much to the delight of the overly flirtatious and predominantly-female staff). You may think you know where the film is going with this character–but not quite. That’s the beauty of this script–both Poe and Loren made a romcom that they wanted to see. The results make the familiar feel fresh.

Patrick Poe, the film’s co-director/co-writer/co-producer/co-cinematographer (let’s just say he and Lolo Loren are both auteurs), gives a comically brilliant performance as Todd, the hunky dumbo with surfer-like blond hair whom Liz practically stalks and, with support from her sister Amy and Amy’s girlfriend Rebecca (Bethany Fay), asks on a date. We spend more time with this dopey character than you would think, and he doesn’t come off as a one-dimensional tool–that’s not to say there aren’t moments in which you’ll groan loudly due to his foolishness, but the groans are more from a relatable feeling than anything else.

Other standouts in the supporting cast include Dianne Paukstelis as Liz’s aforementioned boss Melissa, Casey Jane as the wildly flirty receptionist who smacks David’s behind on his first day of work, Jerad Langley as Liz’s divorced father, and Vilma de Leon as Liz’s overbearing mother whose identity is a unique twist. (I actually would have liked to see a whole movie about this mother character–I would say this part of the film is underdeveloped, but what we do get is quite intriguing.) The film also finds time to explore Liz’s relationships with Amy and Rebecca, and her complicated relationship with an old boyfriend (Richard J. Burt) who may or may not want to seriously start over again.

Wherever “Almost, Sorta, Maybe” goes with Liz, whatever important life decision she makes, whichever guy has eyes for her, I just wish the best for her. She deserves to be happy.

I think she’s going to do just great, and she’ll look back on this long, complicated, funny, sweet journey and pat herself on the back for making it through. And I’m sure Patrick Poe, Lolo Loren, their assistant director Amber Joy, and of course Lindsay Weaver would agree.

The film is now available via streaming.