Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne Directorial Feature Debut ‘Am I Ok’ Starring Dakota Johnson at Sundance 2022

Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno appear in 'AM I OK?' directed by Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Emily Knecht.
Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno appear in 'AM I OK?' directed by Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Emily Knecht.
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SYNOPSIS: Lucy and Jane are the best of friends. They finish each other’s sentences, predict every detail of each other’s food order, and pretty much know everything about each other. But when Jane is promoted at work and agrees to move to London for her new position, Lucy confesses her deepest, long-held secret: She likes women, she has for a long time, and she’s terrified by this later-in-life realization. Suddenly, their friendship is thrown into chaos as the two choose different routes by which to navigate the unexpected changes in their lives. [Source: Sundance Institute]

Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne’s directorial feature debut is an exceptionally sweet and charming love story about two adults working through the complexities of self-discovery and personal awakening. Anchored by endearing performances and the undeniable chemistry

The power and intimacy of platonic female friendship is central in a story about romance and self-discovery. Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a thirty-something artist trying to figure out her sexuality. Her best friend, Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) pushes Lucy to work through her fears as she questions being attracted to women.

Lucy is a receptionist in an upscale spa. She is attracted to newly hired, and flirtatious masseuse, Brittany (Kiersey Clemons). However, Brittany sends mixed signals leaving Lucy confused, in more ways than one. Jane receives a promotion and will be moving to London, her hometown. The sudden upheaval is an emotional roller coaster for Lucy, who “relies” on Jane for instructions on how to live her life, such as how to eat muffins. 

Jane’s ridiculously annoying coworker, Kat (Molly Gordon), provides comedic elements to the story. After Jane and Lucy have a falling out, Kat encourages, rather forces, Jane to attend a “Hammock Sanctuary” leading to one of the most memorable scenes of the film. Enter #TigWig. The Sundance audience literally laughed out loud at Tig Notaro’s cameo in a, let’s just call it over-the-top, wig with women in hammocks screaming out their stress. Seemingly weird. Quite the contrary. 

Ultimately, Lucy and Jane work out their issues and realize that their love, albeit platonic, and friendship is exactly what they need to work through this thing called life. However, the ending is somewhat surprising and charming. 

Co-directed by Notaro and Allynne, ‘Am I Ok?’ is a wonderfully, light-hearted, sweet, and charming story about the bonds of female friendship.  It is about two adults working through the complexities of continual self-discovery and personal awakening.

The chemistry between Johnson and Mizuno is incredibly organic; you forget that this is scripted. The best friend relationship is very natural due to superb performances and crisp, organic writing. Very enjoyable. 

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About Jillian Dale 73 Articles
Film festival coverage and digital content ninja.

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