Good Grief

Written, directed and starring Dan Levy (Schlitt’s Creek) in his feature debut, Good Grief begins with affluent illustrator Marc (Levy) enjoying a lavish Christmas party that was organised by his successful writer husband, Oliver (Luke Evans). However, tragedy soon strikes when Oliver is killed in a car crash when leaving to attend a book signing in Paris. The loss of his lover plunges Marc into a spiral of grief and hopelessness, but a bombshell revelation that his husband was hiding something from him causes the widower to question if he really knew the man he married. In a search for answers, he heads to Paris with his supportive friends Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel).

What follows is a bittersweet, if flawed, drama about the messiness of life. There’s a genuine tenderness and softness conveyed through both Levy’s poignant writing and Rob Simosen’s gentle score as Marc negotiates his grief. The bond shared between the three friends reveals a close connection that’s become strained by the personal problems each of them faces. However, it’s a moving eulogy performed by David Bradley at Oliver’s funeral that underscores the sense of sentimentality at the centre of this film.

This heartwarming exploration of grief starts to get derailed when the trio arrive in Paris. Alongside Marc’s hunt for the truth, there are likewise new sparks of romance with a charming stranger and Sophie’s own relationship troubles cause her to spiral out of control. While there are glimmers of heartfelt dialogue that tap into grander topics of life and ambition (particularly between Marc and his new beau), Levy isn’t quite able to weave these various plot points together into a cohesive and satisfying whole, with Sophie’s subplot barely getting any attention until the final few minutes.

Adding to this sense of imbalance is an ill-fitting sense of humour that doesn’t mesh well with the tender story being told. The sombre funeral scene is interrupted by a narcissistic speech from an actor more concerned about the loss of their career than the writer, and Marc’s mourning is cheapened by a gag about nude pictures on his phone.

Good Grief is an ode to people trying to make sense of their lives. While Levy’s debut is coloured with love and heart, it’s also too messy to make the most out of its ideas.

Andrew Murray

Good Grief is released on Netflix on 29^th December 2023.

Watch the trailer for Good Grief here: