Anything’s Possible

Anything’s Possible

In Billy Porter’s “Anything’s Possible,” there is a character named Kelsa (played by the captivating Eva Reign) who seems to have it all figured out, even though she is surrounded by the chaos of the teenage world. She knows that she loves animals and learns more about their homes and how they survive with each passing day. She wants to study zoology in college so she can become a nature cinematographer one day. Though her name means ‘brave,’ Kelsa doesn’t like being called brave not because she isn’t brave, but because she is a trans girl who knows herself well enough to be confident in who she is.

However, like any teenager, Kelsa is still learning and making mistakes for herself or seeing others make them at her expense. If that outline sounds awfully familiar think John Hughes by way of the 21st century, with all kinds of experiences included it’s by gentle design in a script smartly written by Ximena García Lecuona.

In fact, Porter’s (the “Pose” star and EGOT threat) radiant debut might be most radical in its familiarity, which allows a recognizable teenage tale not marked entirely by bigoted adversity to belong to a Black high-school-aged trans girl character we simply never see at the movies. Not exclusively anyway; what “Anything Is Possible” says is: Here are some teen romances and comedies you know with new characters.

And while there may be plenty of normal in “Anything Is Possible” lots of typical teenage romantic problems and friendship drama on tap Kelsa isn’t quite sure what to make of romance just yet. She’s scared that someone will like her only to seem woke and supportive, as she confesses on her sweet little watched vlog.

And the opposite of that crushing prejudice and rejection is also terrifying. She wants to be loved and accepted for who she is, which is why she doesn’t even mention her gender identity on her college application essay (“I don’t want to exploit it,” she explains), despite the insistence of her forever supportive single mom (Renée Elise Goldsberry). Which fair enough; isn’t being trans wasn’t the path through which she wended her transition part of who Kelsa is?

But like I said: best friends who seem to love every bit of Kelsa. Chris (Kelly Lamor Wilson), whose hair color is a blinding fabulous purple this week over some truly creative makeup; Em (Courtnee Carter), whose hair accessories alone and wildly eclectic, eye-popping wardrobe would make Dionne of “Clueless” look like a person with safe fashion sense. (Costumes, which are stunning, by Analucia McGorty also of “Pose.”)

If only Em and Kelsa didn’t both have a crush on Khal (Abubakr Ali), the talented artist/Muslim student. Who loves Kelsa back. And has long conversations with her about his work with Em, who is so playful with him it’s clear that they could be friends … but might never be again if they find out that they are both crushing on Khal. What would their school friends say? What would Khal’s supportive but traditional family think?

Eventually, however, those two get together as a romantic couple and all hell breaks loose. No, not really Em does react poorly to the news, but less badly than Kelsa feared she might. As for the school crowd? It responds in exactly the performative support that Kelsa cannot abide. Worse than that is the group of narrow-minded (or flat-out homophobic) friends of Khal’s who cluelessly wonder if he is gay so at least we’re spared worrying what they’d do if they found out he was trans and those guys deserve every cutting remark Kelsa hurls at them in return.

They manage all this with an admirable degree of grace even when certain boundaries get crossed between friends and lovers and even family members; let it be known that Chris throws down harder for Kelsa than anyone else in this movie, although I must admit to being biased because I am a Chris a thousand times over for my own dear Kel(sa).

Oftentimes, “Anything’s Possible” plays it safe, and too much so. It wants to be liked by everyone and so it gives them what they want to hear this is its biggest problem. Many teenage-centric movies have had their potential for greatness ruined by this attitude recently think of “Crush,” “Moxie,” or even “Booksmart.”

However, I can’t say that I blame Lecuona and Porter for not taking any risks with the film; how could they? No one has ever made a high-school movie about trans youth before, let alone one that was successful enough to make others feel comfortable trying something new. (I should mention here that TV has already done this much better than movies ever will: see “Pose” and “Euphoria.”) Maybe someday we’ll catch up with them in American cinema. But until then, let us rejoice over “Anything’s Possible” it may be our only chance.

Watch Anything’s Possible For Free On Gomovies.