Anything’s Possible
Anything’s Possible Cast: Eva Reign, Abubakr Ali, Renée Elise Goldsberry
Anything’s Possible Director: Billy Porter
Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Anything’s Possible Stars: 3/5
If there’s one thing that Anything’s Possible truly does succeed at when it comes to getting you to introspect, it’s how quickly we throw adjectives around without having much regard for what they mean to the person they are attached to. In the film, Eva Reign’s Kelsa doesn’t like to be called “brave” whereas the other lead character of the film, Khalid/Khal expresses visible discomfort after being described as someone who is “nice” on multiple occasions. As you watch the film, it gets self-explanatory why these characters would not like to be reduced to these adjectives because they are very much like the species that Kelsa describes in her YouTube vlogs, original and unique in their own ways that no quality to define them.
It’s worth thinking about how “nice” and “brave” are once again, labels that we often attach to people based on our perspective of them. At a time when we are realising how important it is to live in a label-free world when it comes to embracing ourselves, maybe it’s also time to be careful before we pressure someone into being a certain version of themselves because of their actions. The best part about Anything’s Possible is how it keeps its focus on being a heartwarming teen romance which explores two characters who come together when they are ready to embrace their individuality completely.
The film nicely explores the life of a trans high school student, Kelsa (Eva Reigns) who is out and proud but has yet to open herself to regular high-school experiences such as finding a boyfriend and having her brush with first love. Khal (Abubakr Ali) on the other hand is afraid to speak out. His inexpressiveness when it comes to standing up to his homophobic friend or his inability to open up about his dreams and choices towards his conservative parents hold him back and possibly are the reason why he doesn’t enjoy being called “nice.” When Kelsa and Khal find each other, it’s a love story that will only get the best out of both of them.
The film opens with Reigns’ Kelsa shooting a vlog for her YouTube channel where she speaks about creatures with unique traits at another point in the film when she’s asked about why she aspires to be a zoologist and what she loves most about animals, she says that’s because their originality is what helps them survive. Soon we see Kelsa and her friends, Em (Courtnee Carter) and Chris (Kelly Lamor Wilson) getting ready to start senior year which means the college talk is also around the corner, and Kelsa’s mom (Renée Elise Goldsberry) is all ready for it, trying to get her daughter to finish off her college essay at the earliest.
Kelsa’s college worries take a backseat at school though as she partners up with Khal (Ali) for an art class and soon sparks fly between the duo. They both even out each other’s energies in the perfect way as a sheepish Khal meets his opposite, the upbeat Kelsa. While mutual feelings continue to grow between Khal and Kelsa, there’s a mild fork in the road as her friend Em (Carter) also develops a crush on him. While Kelsa is about to lose a friend thanks to her new relationship, the same happens for Khal as his best bud Otis (Grant Reynolds) turns out to be transphobic. Despite their surroundings, Khal and Kelsa continue to grow as they find trust and comfort in each other above everything else.
Anything’s Possible succeeds as giving us a love story that seems organic and a genuine teen rom-com that doesn’t exist merely because it wants to indulge in diverse storytelling. The film evidently comes from director Billy Porter and writer Ximena García Lecuona’s hearts. Timed at just one hour thirty-five minutes, the film manages to make you grow fond of Kelsa in no time and I almost wished there was a little more we could explore about her life. Kelsa’s story very much had the potential of becoming an episodic show as well, had we explored more about her other relationships as well, such as her bond with her mother and also how Em and Chris became her friends.
Among the plus sides of the film are how it poses the right questions and solutions to them. At one point in the film, Kelsa expresses her concerns about dating Khal as she says, “What if Khal is only interested in dating her for the “woke points”? On the other side, we are also shown of Khal is ready to face the challenges that may be presented with him dating Kelsa, but is determined to put all of it aside because of the feelings they share for each other. The film’s aim is to provide the understanding that there’s a possibility for things to work out if and when there’s acceptance and willingness to do it.
Billy Porter’s vision for Anything’s Possible is quite clear, he sets out to make it a youthful, energetic and at the same time heartwarming rom-com. There’s little not to like in this film except for a few moments when you feel it’s slightly hurried and could have covered more ground when it comes to its lead characters. In terms of trans love stories and the dearth of them in film and TV content, it’s a welcome addition and hopefully, it does help inspire more artists to explore the same. Apart from also capturing the beauty of his hometown Pittsburgh through the eyes of the film’s lead couple, Porter also lends his unmatched fashionable eye to add a colourful palette to the film through Kelsa’s amazing wardrobe designed by Analucia McGorty.
In terms of performances, Eva Reign as Kelsa is captivating in every frame. She’s the energetic force behind this teen love story that keeps you invested. As for Abubakr Ali, the actor nails his David Attenborough impressions and manages to make those quiet glances and shy vibe look absolutely natural. Also, Renée Elise Goldsberry turns out to be a scene stealer as Kelsa’s mom. Anything’s Possible succeeds at being an enjoyable teen romance that seems a rarity at this moment with most web shows and movies tapping into the darker sides of high school experiences.
