The Good Half movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The Good Half

This dramady about grief is now playing in theaters.

RATING: R (for profanity)

LENGTH: 1 hour 36 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

The story is about a young man who returns home to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones, before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.

The film was directed by Robert Schwartzman. Writing credits go to Brett Ryland.

I had to say goodbye to 3 of my parents in 3 months last year, so this movie hit me hard. With all of the funeral and estate decisions that needed to be made, it was like we didn’t have time to grieve. Just when I think I’m doing okay, the tears come again. That grieving process is no joke! We all grieve differently and take different amounts of time to emotionally respond to what happened.

THINGS I LIKED:

Congratulations to Nick Jonas! He did a great job showing emotional range, and we even get to hear him sing a little bit.
Elisabeth Shue looks amazing. When is she going to start aging?
Everyone in the cast did a fantastic job including Brittany Snow (I loved her in the Pitch Perfect franchise), Matt Walsh, David Arquette, Steve Park, and Alexandra Shipp.
The dialogue is witty and entertaining.
The title is perfect, as it refers to life with a loved one before they died (the good half) and wondering if life will ever feel the same again afterwards (the bad half). Another layer of the title is how the favorite child got the “good half” of the mother while the other child got the bad half.
There is a timeline that jumps back and forth. It slowly shows us the tender relationship between the mother and son. We feel like we know her much better than the priest who delivers her eulogy at the funeral.
The film did a great job showing how people grieve differently.
Fun fact: While the story takes place in Cleveland, Ohio, the movie was actually filmed in New Jersey and Los Angeles.
The movie illustrates the complexities of losing a loved one with honesty and humor.
The movie doesn’t end with everything tied up in a neat bow, but it does offer hope. A friend of mine just recently had to say goodbye to her dying mother. She shared with me that she’s having trouble adjusting to the “new normal.” I told her that the “new” normal will never feel normal. I think of my parents every day, tears still flow, and I see them in the mirror more and more often as I’m aging. But there is a feeling of hope, and the movie illustrates that perfectly.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The subject matter is dark and depressing. Not everyone will be up for watching this.
If you’ve recently lost a loved one, this might be too much for you to watch right now.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be extremely bored.
Profanity, including F-bombs
The mother constantly steals things from restaurants

THEMES:

Complicated family dynamics
Death and grief
Terminal illness
Relationships
How to console a loved one

FUNNY LINES:

“Every action movie from the 90s is a great film.” – Zoey Abbot (Alexandria Shipp)
“Sick Scarface reference.” – Renn (Nick Jonas)
“You have a casket budget?” – Renn (Nick Jonas) “Yeah.” – Rick (David Arquette) “Maybe they have certified pre-owned caskets, just like the new ones but just a little bit cheaper.” – Renn (Nick Jonas)
“I love the idea of a casket with flames on it. You know, it really sends a solid message to your loved one where you think they’re headed.” – Renn (Nick Jonas)

INTERESTING LINES:

“What is the alternative? I’m going to be a then twice-divorced, 56-year-old lady living in Cleveland. That’s the saddest sentence I’ve ever said.” – Lily (Elisabeth Shue) “Yeah, the only sad part about that statement is you’re living in Cleveland.” – Renn Wheeland (Nick Jonas)
“Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean I’m not doing it.” – Renn talking about how he was grieving.
“I’m interested in what any of this means.” – Zoey Abbot (Alexandria Shipp)
“People grieve in their own ways.” – Rick Barona (David Arquette)
“Are you okay?” – Zoey Abbot (Alexandria Shipp) “No. But I will be.” – Renn (Nick Jonas)