The rom-com. A movie genre that can easily please the audience that enjoys happily ever afters or can anger those looking for something new and different. Always Be My Maybe on Netflix never quite fit into either of those categories for me. However, is Always Be My Maybe kid friendly for teens? This isn’t a movie I would watch with my teens due to a lot of language, sexual content, and drug use.
Is Always Be My Maybe Kid Friendly?
When you press play, Always Be My Maybe warns you about the PG-13 rating for sexual content, drug use, and language. I was hoping this would be a cute rom-com I could watch with my teenage daughter, especially because I was excited there were two Asian leads. Sadly, this wasn’t it. There was too much content that’s not appropriate for her. Check out the Always Be My Maybe parent movie review below.
Language in Always Be My Maybe on Netflix
Wow. I thought Avengers: Endgame had a lot of language in it, but it had nothing on Always Be My Maybe. There were 20 uses of sh– or sh–hole alone. There was one use of bullsh–, 5 a–holes, 5 uses of a–, at least 8 uses of b-tch, 6 uses of hell, and one use of the f-word. You can also expect some crass language like douche and di-k. They also said, “oh my g-d” at least 10 times, said Jesus Christ, and g-ddammit.
Sexual Content in Always Be My Maybe
There was also a lot of sexual content in Always Be My Maybe. There’s one instance when two kids start making out in a car and are on top of each other. Later sex is implied, but you don’t see more than that. Later there’s one scene where two adults take each other’s clothes off, kiss passionately, and end up in bed. Sex is implied, and you do see a bare chest and naked back, but no boobs.
In another scene you see a bare naked butt and a man urinating on stage. Ali Wong’s character also flashes a band on stage, but she’s wearing a bra. There is a lot of talk about sex during this movie including condoms, masturbation, mention of polyamorous relationship, sex ed, testicles, penis size, slut shaming, etc.
Mature Content and Drug Use in Always Be My Maybe
There are several scenes where adult characters smoke marijuana and talk about it. There is also the death of a parent and alcohol use.
Should You Watch Always Be My Maybe With Teens?
Is Always Be My Maybe ok for kids and teens? Different homes have different rules, and parents care about different things. If you do watch Always Be My Maybe with your teens, then I suggest talking about all of the above with them after the movie is over.
There’s a lot of material for conversations – love, career ambitions, sex, drug use, alcohol use, death. I would recommend Always Be My Maybe for ages 16 and up, and I’m even tempted to suggest ages 18 and up.
Why You’ll Want to Watch Always Be My Maybe
Ali Wong plays celebrity chef Sasha Tran, and Randall Park is Marcus Kim, a guy who doesn’t want to leave his home town in San Francisco and still in a band that’s going nowhere. They’re childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in 15 years.
Wong and Park have good comedic chemistry and some of the writing is smart and witty. I love a joke that doesn’t come from shock value. Unfortunately, many of the laughs do come from that which is why I wasn’t laughing as much as some people. I really wanted to love this movie.
Wong had her moments, Park was endearing, Michelle Buteau as Sasha’s best friend made me laugh the most, and the Keanu Reeves cameo maybe made it worth my time. Ok, Keanu Reeves was definitely worth my time. And a special shoutout to Park’s rapping.
I did like the honesty Always Be My Maybe brought to relationships – they’re complicated and often messy. The ending scene brought back a heart-warming and sentimental aspect which I expect and need from a romantic comedy, because up until that point, I wasn’t feeling anything.
I wish I could recommend Always Be My Maybe overall, but it was a little too raunchy for my tastes. I’ll stick to watching Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before with my teen.
Always Be My Maybe is streaming on Netflix now!