Mara Brock Akil’s Adaptation of Judy Blume Classic “FOREVER” is a Black Romance for the Ages

Spoiler Warning: This article may contain slight spoilers for Netflix’s FOREVER

Since early in her career, many books from American author Judy Blume have been met with harsh criticism. She often explores controversial topics, including menstruation, teen sex, and abortion, to name a few. Despite major pushback, Blume has achieved major success, selling over 90 million copies across all of her books, and has received several offers to adapt her works into screenplays. Nearly 50 years after its publication, Judy Blume’s young adult novel Forever is taking on a new look. The original 1975 classic deals with themes of teenage sexuality while following Katherine Danzinger, a high school student who has complicated feelings surrounding losing her virginity to her first love, Michael Wagner. 

Mara Brock Akil, a producer, screenwriter, and director known for works such as Girlfriends, The Game, and Being Mary Jane, is taking on the modern redesign. The story, set in 2018, follows high school students Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone) and Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper Jr), who fall hard and fast for each other after reuniting by chance at a New Year’s Eve Party. Their burgeoning relationship encounters many challenges, as the young teens each face immense pressure that they are afraid to contend with. Other creative hands joining in on the project include Academy-Award Winner Regina King and Emmy-Award Winner Anthony Hemingway, who, along with being executive producers, directed episodes of the series. 

In a note to viewers, Akil expressed the essence of the story she developed: “At its heart, FOREVER is a celebration of first love — the kind that shakes you, molds you, and changes you forever. It’s about two Black children falling hard, making mistakes, and learning what trust really means. It’s raw, messy, vulnerable, and full of all the magic we remember — or still dream about. It’s a love letter to our boys who deserve to be soft, to our girls who dare to be bold, and to Los Angeles — the city that raised me, held me, and showed me love in all its forms.” 

“It’s a love letter to our boys who deserve to be soft, to our girls who dare to be bold, and to Los Angeles — the city that raised me, held me, and showed me love in all its forms.”

– Mara Brock Akil

Join EnVi as we introduce the cast and break down the prominent motifs and themes of the series.   

The Leading Lovebirds

Before being cast in the new age black love story, Lovie Simone Oppong made her mark in the drama series Greenleaf, where she portrayed Zora Greenleaf, the rebellious daughter of her pastor father Jacob Greenleaf (Lamman Rucker). On the other hand, Michael Cooper Jr, who has only been involved with screen acting since 2020, is known for his role in Sanaa Lathan’s directorial debut film, On the Come Up. Forever marks the first lead role for Cooper and the first time leading a series for Lovie.

During an interview with ABC News Live, Lovie Simone expressed immense appreciation when discussing her time working on the project: “[Mara Brock Akil] made it so the world building of FOREVER was so complete and authentic to the times now and also authentic and true to what Judy Blume wrote years and years ago. It’s been really fun working with her and having all of these questions for her as an actress…she’s like my mom in this world of FOREVER.” 

Bringing the vision of not one, but two legendary storytellers to life might be a major undertaking for some. Still, the up-and-coming actors stepped up to the plate — delivering an indelible performance as Keisha Clark and Justin Edwards. 

New Year’s Eve: A Chance Reunion  

Keisha Clark 

After abruptly transferring to an all-girls private school in her junior year of high school, Keisha Clark has a strict plan to get into Howard University. She believes it will be her ticket to a better life, not only for herself, but also for her family.

Keisha’s mother Shelly (Xosha Roquemore) works two jobs to pay for everything her daughter needs, from school tuition to track gear. Though things are hard for the family financially, Shelly harbors little regret. As long as Keisha excels in life, she is happy. Knowing this, Keisha puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on herself. 

Keisha’s everyday schedule is the same: early morning conditioning with her grandpa George (Barry Shabaka Henley), attending school followed by a rigorous track practice, and then, to top it all off, homework in the evening before bed. When she allows herself the time, Keisha occasionally partakes in a night out with friends or family. 

During winter break, Keisha attends a New Year’s Eve Party thrown by her friend Chloe (Ali Gallo). She isn’t expecting anything more than a casual hangout, but while she is there, she unexpectedly reunites with her old friend and crush, Justin Edwards. Unbeknownst to Keisha, this chance encounter becomes a catalyst for a major change in her life, including the revelation of a major secret she has been withholding from her mother.  

Justin Edwards

On the other side of Los Angeles is Justin Edwards, another high school junior who is in the midst of anxiously prepping his college essay. The task is difficult not only because he has ADHD, but also because Justin isn’t even sure he wants to go to college in the first place.

Despite not coming from much, Justin’s parents Dawn (Karen Pittman) and Eric (Wood Harris) were able to achieve success in their respective career fields. Their shared hope is for their children to surpass what they’ve done in their lifetime. 

From a young age, Justin was thrust into the world of basketball. He eventually was enrolled in an exceptional private high school with a predominantly white population. The ultimate goal is for him to develop his skills, attend a D1 college, and subsequently be drafted into a major basketball team. Similar to Keisha, he lives life adhering to a strict schedule monitored by his unyielding mother. If he wishes to let loose every once in a while, he must cut a deal with Dawn — or lie to her about his whereabouts. 

On the night of New Year’s Eve, Justin opts for the former as he tries to convince his mother to let him go to a party with his friend Darius (Niles Fitch). This attempt initially fails because Justin is unable to provide adequate details to Dawn, who is worried about his safety due to recent events involving police brutality. After a tense moment, Eric steps in to mollify Dawn, allowing Justin to attend the party with some lax ground rules — one of which is to avoid the white girls at all costs. Justin has no trouble adhering to this golden rule, as one particular melanated party guest swiftly captures his attention. 

Miscommunication and Music

As Keisha and Justin navigate their budding relationship, they struggle to properly express their feelings to one another. Throughout the series, there are several instances where they type out messages of vulnerability only to erase them and send a passive reply, which makes the situation all the more complicated in the end. In moments where they truly desire to communicate with each other, they will share a song that encapsulates the complex emotions they are feeling. 

The first instance of this is the night after their reunion, when Justin plays Daft Punk’s “Within” for Keisha over a FaceTime call. “Listen beyond the words,” Justin says before pressing play. The song, synthesized with a vocoder, has lyrics that express internal conflict as the singer doesn’t know who they are and what their purpose is.

“There are so many things that I don’t understand / There’s a world within me I cannot explain / Many rooms to explore, the doors all look the same.” Although the singer is lost, they have a glimmer of hope that someone externally will help them realize their true potential: “I’ve been, for some time / Looking for someone / I need to know now / Please tell me who I am.”

Daft Punk’s “Within” is a perfect preview to the personal journey that Justin embarks on through the course of the eight-episode series. Filled with angsty songs like “Love Scars 3” by Trippie Redd and tantalizing songs like “Focus” by H.E.R, FOREVER’s soundtrack masterfully elevates Justin and Keisha’s love story while offering audiences a deeper understanding of their dynamic.  

Remember To Love Yourself 

FOREVER is a beautifully complicated story of love, and not just of the romantic variety. Before their paths diverged, Keisha and Justin were lacking in self-love and self-respect. Out of fear of disappointing their parents or taking the wrong path in life, they suppressed their real desires and struggled with a hidden unhappiness as a result. 

Their chance reunion came at a good time, as it allowed them to forget about their worries — or so they thought. In their relationship, Keisha and Justin eventually spend a lot of time holding mirrors toward each other, but refuse to turn them around and reflect on themselves. This act, although done out of love, causes various moments of dissonance for the pair, and it ultimately forces them to come to terms with the things they have been trying so hard to avoid. 

Traversing Conflict Resolution

The act of achieving growth and understanding has no age limit. In her rendition of FOREVER, Mara Brock Akil does an excellent job of giving the parents realistic arcs as they grapple with change brought on by their children’s introspection.

It can be said that most parents struggle to let their child explore the world on their own out of fear — which is often disguised as love. This concept is apparent when both of the leads’ parents are presented with something that strongly goes against their expectations or assumptions about their child’s actuality. When Justin presents a new potential life path to his parents, they react as if it’s a slap in the face. When the secret that Keisha has been keeping comes to light, her mother is utterly devastated. 

Both reactions, although intense, are valid, and as the show progresses, we as viewers see the different ways in which they navigate through their feelings. In the end, following various tough and vulnerable conversations, each family is able to move forward in their own way. 

No Struggle Love Here  

Upon the release of the series’ official trailer, prospective viewers took to the comment section to express both excitement and disquiet at the announcement of a new series surrounding Black leads. “Why did I get emotional?! We hardly see ourselves in this genre. Definitely watching,” one user stated on YouTube. “What’s the twist, cause now I’m nervous,” another user commented under the TikTok trailer. The latter feeling of unease likely stems from the fact that black stories are often shrouded in conflict and trauma. 

One familiar narrative structure used in black love stories involves the usage of the struggle love trope. This particular trope primarily illustrates the black woman’s experience as she navigates through a pitiless life. Even when love eventually finds her, it isn’t enough to decimate the anguish she has dealt with up to that point — as her love interest is often portrayed as someone she has to fix. 

However, Mara Brock Akil’s FOREVER breaks free from the conventions of the unfavorable cliché. Both leads, despite their demanding circumstances, defy the odds in more ways than one. Following the revelation of the secret that has been plaguing Keisha, Justin ardently sticks by her side, notwithstanding the harsh opinions of those around him. The overall demeanor that Justin displays is compassionate, as he also has moments where he unapologetically shows his emotions — whether that be sadness or joy. With Justin by her side, Keisha eventually sheds her once acquiescent ways, further gaining a new perspective on life. In the end, the road ahead of her is clear, and she is ready to start afresh.  

All eight episodes of FOREVER are streaming now on Netflix! 

Ready for more content? Check out Formation’s round-up of 5 Black Love Stories to Read here!