by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
It may be a January Netflix release, but there was a lot that intrigued me about Good Grief.
The feature directorial debut for Dan Levy, the project is the first of a major creative partnership for the streamer and the actor more known for his television roles. I always find actors stepping behind the camera for their first feature to be worthy of interest — and it seems like it’s particularly a theme for this month, with Jake Johnson’s Self Reliance and Daniel Kaluuya’s The Kitchen also set to make streaming debuts in the next couple of weeks.
In addition to directing and writing the film, Levy stars as a widower who goes on a trip with friends (played by Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel) in an effort to get over the death of his husband (Luke Evans) one year after the fact. It being more dramatic is another point of intrigue. Levy isn’t the first to dip his toe into drama after making a name for himself as a comedic actor. Stars like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, and Nick Offerman all did it. What’s interesting in this case, is Levy himself doesn’t even see himself in a comedic vein. Though labeled as a comedy, those moments are few and far between, as this is very much a drama with an occasional laugh.
For a first-time effort, the directing part of Levy’s debut actually impressed me. Even with his massive involvement with Schitt’s Creek, he only directed four episodes. Despite his lack of reps, the eye is clearly there. There’s a bit of flair to the shot selection, and it’s more than just vanilla, paint-by-numbers camera work.
All of that promise makes the fact that the film falls flat for me overall so much more disappointing. I don’t know what didn’t work, as it’s clear it’s a project Levy is passionate about, but that didn’t really translate to my viewing experience. It very much feels like it’s at arm’s length, and it just never really got it hooks into me.
If I had to guess, I think the friend trio relationship at the real heart of the film is a major issue. We don’t get to spend a lot of time in the romantic relationship, so it’s really the three friends we’re spending the most time with as they traipse around Paris, and I didn’t really connect. A big part of the problem is I didn’t find our protagonists particularly likable. Given his talent as a creator, and the fact that it’s such a personal project, that it feels like it’s the writing that lets this one down is just a shame. Even the relationship Levy’s character is trying to get over, I never felt I got enough about them to feel the depth of what the movie wanted me to feel.
For his first directorial effort, though, there’s no lack of good talent. A couple of familiar faces pop up that should have been welcome — but that’s another one of my major issues. Kaitlyn Dever is an excellent actress. She’s a glorified cameo in a role that, though I get what the point of the joke is supposed to be, doesn’t work for me. Emma Corrin, who I just spent a lot of time talking about as one of my performances of the year, makes another befuddling cameo as a character known only as “Young Performing Artist.” Perhaps the most perplexing, it asks me to accept David Bradley (in a role as the father of Evans’ deceased character) as a normal, likable person. Okay, I jest with the last one; he actually has a moment that comes the closest to getting me to buy into the movie emotionally, but it is still weird.
Despite my disappointment, I am still intrigued for what future projects in Levy’s Netflix deal might hold, and I think it’s worth checking out for fans of him and his work, with it being his feature debut.
Here’s just hoping that his followup projects are more good work, and less Good Grief.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
Good Grief is currently streaming on Netflix
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd