Forever Ours, Keisha?
Why Netflix's Forever adaptation does a disservice to Keisha.
When Judy Blume published Forever in 1975, it was groundbreaking for its frank portrayal of sex, relationships and how becoming involved in them before marriage didn’t mark you “forever.” While it’s told from the perspective of Katherine as she becomes involved with Michael, the recent Netflix adaptation by Mara Brock Akil offers split points of view from Keisha (Lovie Simone) and her messy relationship with Justin (Michael Cooper Jr.).
Firstly, let me say that I enjoyed the adaptation. It’s beautifully shot, the camera loves Simone and I was captivated by newcomer Cooper Jr., and it was great seeing Karen Pittman stretch her muscles outside of the rigid roles we’ve seen her in most recently in And Just Like That… and The Morning Show. It’s clear other viewers did, too, as it’s been renewed for season two.
But in widening the scope from Blume’s novel to incorporate Justin’s outlook, we lose Keisha’s.
Keisha is a young track star reeling from depression, having to move schools and the fallout from having intimate footage of her disseminated amongst her peers. But we mostly see how this affects others, not her, owing to the fact that is has already happened when we meet her, while everyone else in her life finds out over the course of the show. Hell, even Justin’s mum Dawn (Pittman) is afforded a more robust reaction than Keisha!
Akil has said that she approached Forever as a mother of Black boys. “I posit that Black boys are the most vulnerable when it’s time, because before I can really talk to him about love and healthy protection, I have to talk to him about rape, as a Black man,” she told Vulture, and yet it’s Keisha who was the victim of image based sexual abuse. This is not to say that there isn’t an epidemic of state violence against Black boys and men, but Justin is largely inculcated against this by virtue of his wealth, especially in comparison to Keisha’s economic background.
We see so much of Justin’s struggle with a learning disability as he strives to get into Dawn’s alma mater, Northwestern, as Keisha helps him realise his true passion lies in making music. Meanwhile, I was surprised to learn at the conclusion of the show that Keisha was salutatorian because we never see her do anything outside of running and pursuing Justin.
He is the driver of their relationship, which he calls off several times throughout the course of it as Keisha attempts to get her shit together. Keisha spends her summer stalking Justin on Martha’s Vineyard in an attempt to win him back. It’s Justin and Dawn who force Keisha to tell her mum, Shelly, played with aplomb by Zosha Roquemore, about the footage of her that is circulating.
Hell, Shelly goes to therapy but where’s the mental health support for Keisha?! Unfortunately, in overcorrecting Blume’s singular portrayal of Katherine, Forever forgets about Keisha. Hopefully that is corrected in season two.