Instagram/@coreyfogelmanisThe trailer of “I Wish You All The Best” just dropped, and while its release on November 7 is something people are excited about, a certain line has spurred controversy. The film is based on Mason Deaver’s book about a non-binary author relating the story of a non-binary teen wrestling between identity and acceptance. However, just a brief reference to Demi Lovato’s pronouns seems to have split critics between labeling the trailer offensive and standing up for its context.
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In the trailer, a character says, “Like Demi Lovato, they use they then, right? Oh. She went back to she.” The backlash erupted at once because Demi Lovato now uses both they/them and she/her, with one commenting, “This is disrespectful to make a movie about nonbinary people and mock an actual nonbinary person.” Others said, “This is offensive not only to Demi Lovato but to the whole LGBTQIA+ community–and during pride month too!”
However, the defenders strongly stood up for the film: “Before you say anything, just take one second to think about what you’re going to say,” one comment exploded. “As a nonbinary person SHUT UP ABOUT DEMI LOVATO!!!” another comment yelled in all capitals. The trailer alone even sparked multiple threads in discussion because of this one line.
Meanwhile, Cole Sprouse looking so much older and seemingly like a father-type was driving another group of audiences crazy. “Holy shit, I’m old,” one viewer lamented, with several others agreeing that this was giving them old vibes. Corey Fogelmanis is receiving compliments about apparently not having aged a day since Girl Meets World.
The most important bit of the trailer hit many people. “Being nonbinary makes me feel like nothing and everything all at once and I don’t know what to do with myself,” one line said, with many commenters saying that quoted gave them chills; people are already predicting it to be “movie of the year” based on these few, powerful previews.
Interestingly, the movie seems to have advanced the slow-burn romance in the book much farther into the present, which some are glad for. The chemistry of the leads is already being hailed in the comments. Another new track from Charlotte Lawrence intensifies the anticipation as well.
Though mostly overwhelmingly positive, the Demi Lovato pronoun mention remains the biggest talking point. A few beg the filmmakers to just remove it before release, while others say it’s being taken out of context. With months still left before premiere, this is only just the beginning of this fight. Whether this will cause the film to fare poorly or stir up some hype remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure now: According to hype, “I Wish You All The Best” will be talked about long before November actually arrives.
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The interpretation of non-binary identity in the film was always going to be under scrutiny, but almost no one would ever have thought that the first really big talking point would have been about celebrity pronouns rather than the actual story. “Screaming crying throwing up I need to be in the movie theater RIGHT NOW,” one user articulated, perfectly capturing that split in reactions-and that really sums up just how bonkers that whole trailer drop was.
