You see Dan Levy in a somewhat more serious role than that of Schitt’s Creek and anticipate a deep reflection, some poignancy, LGTBQIA+ themes and characters, and a lot of layering and depth in everything. Good Grief gives you many of these things, but it might still be a tad disappointing to the series fans. However, the movie is a good experience and portrays the aftermath of grief pretty well, in some places, at least.

Dan Levy’s directorial debut, Good Grief explores complex emotions arising out of losing a loved one while trying to grapple with the reality of that person’s life. There’s nothing out of the ordinary in terms of the portrayal of grief, nor is the plotline anything unique. Marc (Levy) loses his partner, Oliver (Luke Evans), to an accident on Christmas and finds out, a year later, about an affair Oliver had. Grief, as complicated as it already is, gets even more complicated with betrayal entering into the picture. But, it’s also a reflection of Marc’s past (the death of his mother, which he never came to terms with) and the lives of his two close friends. After discovering a Parisian apartment Oliver had with that “other person,” he takes his two friends on an impromptu trip to the city. 

It’s a rollercoaster of emotions thereon, and the movie tries to delve into the complexities of coming to terms with the hard-to-digest aspects of a deceased loved one’s choices. However, it fails to do that in many places. Levy, as the writer of the movie, does not explore much in terms of going beyond the cliches like a new potential romantic interest, a group trip to another continent, and making peace with the ‘other’ person in Marc’s marriage. 

That being said, Good Grief touches upon the dispelling of the dark clouds grief usually brings. Marc’s lawyer, Imelda (Celia Imrie). manages to poignantly tell him that “to avoid sadness is also to avoid love,” and that forms the crux of the movie’s theme, which, as is typical of such movies, comes in the climax. 

Empathy is a cornerstone of Good Grief. The struggles of Marc’s best friends, Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel), in their own love lives are relatable and might win over the audience’s hearts. Arnaud Valois as Theo, Marc’s temporary attraction, is an honest portrayal of an honest man who admits he lacks the courage to quit a high-paying job and doesn’t think there’s anything wrong in a rebound relationship. It’s a secure man trying hard to accept himself, which Marc ultimately learns to do. 

As someone dealing with grief, the movie spoke to me in many ways. It’s a simple movie that can easily find a way into the list of movies on grief. But that’s where the buck stops. Good Grief might not do much good to people who haven’t experienced anything of the sort yet. It’s a movie for the grieving. Also, Marc’s one-year journey immediately after Oliver’s demise is absent from the movie as it conveniently skips to a year later. It’s that very first year soon after the tragedy of losing someone where one needs the most solace. But, as is the case with most movies, that period is not dealt with in Good Grief. Quite a disappointment there!

Review Courtesy of Neha Jha

Feature Image Credit to Netflix