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| Image courtesy of Netflix |
Indie films becoming a bigger business means more diverse stories can be told. Last year’s Our Son depicts a divorce and custody drama between a gay couple portrayed byBilly Porter and Luke Evans. Evans also appeared in gay widower drama Good Grief as Oliver, who dies and leaves husband Marc (Dan Levy) alone.
Good Grief is an admirable debut from writer/director Levy that tries to depict what widowhood is like but fails to deliver much emotional heft. The film accurately depicts some general aspects of being a widow(er), but seems to lack more specific details that someone who has experienced this might know.
What is accurate is the Marc’s overuse of sweatpants and sweaters and over sharing of his status during conversations with strangers. This reality provides Levy with endless opportunities to monologue and seem genuine. Some of the scenes feel like an attempt at Mumblecore kind of honesty and verisimilitude, but many of these scenes come across as flat. Levy seems to be doing his best here, but the depth of emotions of a widower can have are missing from many speeches.
Clichés create more distance from the drama, as Marc is ‘helped’ by his two friends Sophie (a middle-aged, manic pixie dream girl) and Thomas (Himesh Patel), the ex-turned-friend who might still have feelings for Marc. They accompany Marc to Paris to help deal with the luxurious apartment that Oliver (Evans) had purchased without telling Marc. As more is revealed about the apartment and Oliver, the impacts of the revelations are lessened when it’s revealed that Marc is a bit of an unreliable narrator.
Another disconnect from the story could happen if the viewer isn’t able to relate to a rich illustrator/painter (Marc) whose even wealthier husband passes away. There are some sweet moments between Marc and his financial planner Imelda (Celia Imrie), which might be relatable if the viewer also has a financial planner.
Levy has demonstrated that he has the writing, producing, and directing chops to deliver something as moving as Schitt’s Creek. His work on Grief is a sign that he has skills that can mature and deliver something that’s a step up from this film debut.
Good Grief is currently streaming on Netflix.
- EB