Movies

Review of ‘Goodrich’: exciting tragicomedy about fatherhood

Director: Hallie Meyers-Shyer | Script: Hallie Meyers-Shyer | Cast: Michael Keaton (Andy Goodrich), Mila Kunis (Grace), Jacob Kopera (Mose), Vivien Lyra Blair (Billie), Kimberly Condict (Cecile), Andie MacDowell (Ann), each | Playing time: 110 minutes | Year: 2024

Sixty-something Andy Goodrich is shocked to learn that his wife has entered rehab and he suddenly has to take care of their two children. Firstly, because he was completely unaware of his addiction to sleeping pills and, secondly, because he knows the ins and outs of his children. He works day and night for his weakened art gallery. Andy goes to rehab, but doesn’t get to see his wife. He’s alone, but combining fatherhood with being a director quickly gets the better of him.

Fortunately, his lifeline is Cecile (eerily well played by Mila Kunis), his daughter from his first marriage. However, she has no plans to babysit because she is pregnant herself. That same night, in his cashmere sweater and arms crossed, he sits on the couch between his half-brother and half-sister. She continues talking about ‘her’ father, to the indignation of the children in the second group: “You don’t mean ‘our’ father?” Fortunately, their much older half-sister is not so bitter as to make their lives miserable, but her whole attitude shows that she didn’t ask about them.

She navigates her father’s new life with mixed feelings. The thirty-six-year-old daughter who flew to help her father in his marital crisis remains the lost child who barely saw or spoke to her father. Inside, the rejected daughter and the protective daughter fight for priority. Mila Kunis knows how to convey this infinite ambivalence with great precision. It’s extremely impressive that his acting remains so obvious and natural, while his bumbling father lets his emotions move in all directions. Effortlessly, he goes from understanding to disappointment and irritation, and back to understanding.

Goodrich is portrayed as the last remnant of the patriarchy. He certainly doesn’t mean it with bad intentions, but his entrepreneurial enthusiasm has taken its toll. His first marriage has failed, his second marriage is in danger of failing, he does not know his children well and bankruptcy hangs over his head. It’s a good starting point: a divorced man who has almost retired and hasn’t been the most involved father. What will remain after its withdrawal? Aren’t single parents always a little sad? The way he sprinkles a generous amount of salt into the cooking water to show off his cooking skills isn’t very original, but it still makes you laugh. “Dad thinks he knows how to cook” is written all over the children’s faces.

Cecile wants to prevent history from repeating itself and helps her father in his attempt to be a better father to his half-brother and sister. At the same time, he sees the birth of the father he never had. The outcome between father and daughter is passionate, moving and moving. The dialogues seem realistic and are smoothly intertwined with the events. Father and daughter do everything they can to strengthen their bond, despite the distance that has arisen. They struggle with self-pity, but they do not give up and bravely move forward.

Michael Keaton plays Goodrich endearingly, with his egocentrism and forgetfulness. The movie’s motto seems to be that a person is never too old to improve their life. Goodrich continues to develop as a father. The strength of the film lies not in the feminist evenings with holistic jazz or the collective breathing sessions in a yogi club, which sometimes lose their comic purpose, but precisely in its business decline. The movie is set in Los Angeles, but it doesn’t add a nice touch to everything. The strongest scene doesn’t happen until the party is over.

The fact that Goodrich’s second marriage is barely detailed makes the film a little less believable. Meyers-Shyer was clearly more concerned about a woman suddenly flying away than about the marriage itself. However, his first failed marriage is universally recognisable, with his ambitious ex-wife Ann (as charming as she is powerfully played by Andie MacDowell), who, after a failed marriage in which Goodrich was probably only half-present, finally (out of necessity) ) chose for her and her daughter. It’s hard not to sympathize with the parents during their walk, during which they reflect intently on their marriage, the art world, and their daughter.

Goodrich is a good tragicomedy for people who get wonky at the word “dad’s day,” but it’s probably an even better movie for people who use the word “dad’s day.” Parents may be stupid, but they are also indispensable.

Varsha Rai

Hi, Varsha here. I am a very passionate writer with a knack for the art of words and I hope to share my stories and information in a way that is meaningful and inspiring. At trendybapu.com, I write mostly on latest and upcoming movies, movie reviews and everything related to movies. Catch up with me on - [email protected]
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