Anything’s Possible Movie Review: An empathetic, soulful teen romance

LGBTQIA icon Billy Porter’s directorial debut, Anything’s Possible, might just have become just another high-school romance drama. However, the story being told from the perspective of a Black trans girl makes all the difference. The film is about the animal-loving Kelsa (Eva Reign), a proud and open Black trans teen girl, who has two pals — Chris and Em. Kelsa hails from a progressive household consisting of her vlogger mother. And just like any other coming-of-an-age drama, Kelsa develops feelings for batchmate Khal (Abubakr Ali) and he reciprocates. The film is about all the challenges they face, and Kelsa's learnings from them.

Cast: Eva Reign, Abubakr Ali, Renee Elise Goldsberry

Director: Billy Porter

Streamer: Amazon Prime Video

The film shows a lot of heart, especially when it comes to matters of representation. It navigates through intersectionality, especially when Kelsa's identity is constantly shamed by a cis-het Black male. Roping in Eva Reign, a Black trans woman herself, to play Kelsa, is a casting masterstroke. In instances where Kelsa is claimed to have a “mental disorder” or framed by a jealous Em for “bringing male energy to assault her”, the film gives us periodic reminders that transphobia is widely prevalent, even in places we least expect.

Another highlight of Anything’s Possible is the exploration of all the characters. The Khal-Kelsa relationship is not painted with broad strokes. As much as we learn about Kelsa’s problems, we learn about Khal’s too. He has to shorten his name from Khalid to make things easier for himself. Kelsa’s fauna fascination is also beautifully interwoven, and she chooses to represent herself as a Marsh harrier, a bird species where some males undergo metamorphosis to change to the likeness of female species.

Anything’s Possible, however, suffers from a lack of really high points in the narrative. The little drama it possesses comes from the high-school drama template, which includes ideas like a best friend turning jealous and the general struggles of teenage romance. There are many interesting characters, but they are all largely given a raw deal.

Even the family angle in Khal and Kelsa’s lives doesn't get rounded properly. We get stray bits of information about them and their families, but little comes off it in the larger picture. And so, after a point, Anything’s Possible becomes a tad tedious, but thanks to solid performances and having its heart in the right place, the film is definitely worth a watch.