#8mm

I don't know if you are looking for purely Max headcanons or Tom/Max headcanons but I'll include both. Wow I think about this movie too much

MAX:

MovieMax is somewhat mysterious in that I think everything he said in canon is true (minus the STRAIGHT PART but we can get to there. Hm!)

- Max California isn't his real name. WOAH shocker but do they actually talk about this in the movie? Can't remember. But in my mind yes Max is his real first name but California is a stage name-fake name to hide his identity duo. He doesn't want to be traced or his family to find him or something. He would rather be known as the elusive "California" and wants to forge his own identity by himself

- SPEAKING OF FAMILY I don't really have a set idea of who his family might be but I have a few options I roll around in my head, but the main things that pop up consistently are: grew up near or on the outskirts of LA, lower working class family, became estranged from them and probably cut off contact or something

^ I get this both from his fake name being his only known name and also him just immediately latching onto Tom and flying with him to NYC on a whim. He really has nothing tying him down anywhere

- Okay, this is pretty basic level I always imagine him with earrings which is surprising that he doesn't have them in the movie (I kind of Mandela effect-ed this in there because I swear he did but nope) but I kind of imagine him with a few more piercings in general. Two on the ears maybe one somewhere else. lol.

- I also think of him as having a few more tattoos on his legs which we just don't see in canon

- IS HE STRAIGHT? I say no I'm CHANGING the game ... he will hump anyone. I doubt he really cares about labels but would be described as bi or pan

- relationship wise he probably isn't super into romantic stuff and would probably take someone out to McDonald's on a "first date" if he has one. I think he would be more into FWB situations rather than long romantic relationships

- something I discussed with my good friend @/labrador44 was: DOES he have sex for money??. Oh! This one is spicy. Part of me thinks he wouldn't turn it down at the very least. I think he got wrapped up into doing "favors" for people just by virtue of working at a seedy sex shop and Knowing illegal sex dealings going on in the underground. I think him using sex as a way to make a bit of extra cash isn't too far of a stretch

- I don't have really any headcanons about his band other than what he says about them canonically. Hard Spanks isn't doing great (mostly because Max is the only one taking it seriously) but Max really believes in them and is frustrated trying to make it big

TOM AND MAX?

I find they're dynamic inch resting. Hardened detective trying to work on a case, young porn shop cashier who really has nothing to loose and exists to cause said hardened detective to question his sexuality

- I think, at least for the first part of their relationship, Max finds Tom endearing in his prudish-ness and thinks he's funny. The only reason why I would think Max would even care at ALL about Tom is that he is bored and wants to fuck with him and he's mildly interested in what his deal is

- Tom is really obviously a cop. I can't imagine Max being completely unaware of it but he plays into it and pretends to not notice

- However Max is 100% aware of Tom's moral dilemma over staring a little too long at Max's ass or maybe his eyes linger over at him for a bit too long. Tom is really terrified of having a single gay thought (he has a wife and child!) and Max looooves it

- So obviously Max totally leans into it. He makes a lot of gay innuendos, he bends over probably a bit too far and for too long, wears his tightest outfits, talks "guy talk" but in a really obviously gratuitous way to just make Tom say "ugh, keep it to yourself, Max" and Max giggles

- Tom really struggles with this as the case goes on, obviously he's dealing with some dangerous dealings and while Max knows the illegal underground porn scene and the dangers of it, he is in way over his head here

- Tom, who is about 10-15 years older and definitely has more experience with dangerous investigations and how to navigate them WITHOUT dying, is trying to protect Max in his very standoffish, emotionally constipated way

- we saw this a bit in the movie. Tom trying to just abandon Max because to him that will be easier than saying goodbye, and so and so happens... the movie happens....

I personally have my own ideas and offshoots for different aus after the end of Max's story in the movie. I have multiple that could happen if Max lives and etc... it's very fun to think about

I hope you enjoy my ramblings! If you want anything specific I guess, I love thinking abt this stuff shoot me an ask haha!