'Say Yes to My Tomboy Roommate' Review

"Say Yes to My Tomboy Roommate" is a sweet and charming girls love vertical drama that has been gaining a large following on TikTok, and it’s not hard to see why.

While we’ve seen so many amazing boys love verticals come out, there is still a noticeable lack of girls love stories in the space. It’s so nice to see more queer stories with queer lead actors like this finding an audience. The growing success of this series shows that there is not just space for WLW narratives, but a real craving for them.

There are definitely parallels to the 2010 Thai GL Yes or No, especially with the fish and butterfly references, but it doesn’t take away from how well this works as a vertical in both format and storytelling. It still delivers the tropes we love and characters that are easy to get invested in.

The poster for "Say Yes to My Tomboy Roommate" | Source: IMDb

Cailin Peluso and Nare Israelyan are not just absolutely gorgeous, they make Blair and Avery so likeable that it’s impossible not to root for them. You really feel the confusion Blair carries about her sexuality, while Avery holds this quiet weight of wanting to make sure Blair has the best life.

Julia Mason’s Fiona is such a strong example of this. She doesn’t insult their queerness, she leans into it, even labeling herself as an ally to get under Blair’s skin (and seemingly into Avery’s pants — never confirmed, but it’s definitely a viable theory.)

According to Faleena Hopkins, who plays Blair’s snobbish and controlling mother, when she was offered the role, she insisted that she “wouldn’t do it if it was homophobic.” As an advocate for the LGBTQ community, she wanted to make sure the story approached the characters as "just people dealing with obstacles, complicated lives, [and] agendas, like all good love stories."

This nuance shines through in Hopkins' performance. Her character struggles with her daughter’s sexual exploration but genuinely tries to do right by her future. She is never outright cruel, just traditional, and her actions by the finale prove she still has her daughter’s best interests at heart.

Even Logan Tomanek’s Ethan ends up having more depth than expected. He is a nuisance for most of the story, but when it matters, he shows up. I kind of hate that they made me feel bad for him by the end.

It’s also great to see how proud the cast is of the project. Hopkins shared that she is grateful to have a wonderful team, cast and crew, who made sure that a layered story came out of the script.

John D. Michaels, who played the principal, described it as “a welcome breath of fresh air,” while one of the leads, Nare Israelyan, highlighted the “team effort from the whole cast and crew to bring this magic” and how honored she was to be part of bringing more lesbian love stories to the screen.

The success of "Say Yes to My Tomboy Roommate" should make one thing clear. There is a real audience for well made queer verticals, and an undeniable demand for more WLW stories. It’s time for the industry to catch up.

"Say Yes to My Tomboy Roommate" is now streaming on TikTok.

• Starring: Cailin Peluso, Nare Israelyan, Faleena Hopkins, Logan Tomanek, Julia Mason, John D. Michaels, Bradly Scott, Eric Brody
• Directed by: Yuchao Angela Wang
• Production company: Exact Film

Watch the trailer: