The Goodbye

A sketch of the last months of a young man before his death. Precise lines, good dialogue, well performance of Shaun Mendum. A honest image, maybe not realistic, maybe too poetic about family, friendship, job, ex-sentimental relation. Maybe not convincing because you feel something missing. But decent. Precise. And the sketch proposing not future portrait but some questions. So, just a good sketch.

Terminally ill! Death sentence at young tender age!

It's a tempting dramatic device - what more is pressing than a matter of life and death after all? But the whole attitude this film deals with the subject and situation is much too shallow.

First and foremost, it lacks good acting - from the lead to supporting roles, they are all inadequate to portray the depth of emotions of the grave situation. From the initial shock, the disbelief and mocking humour as the coping mechanism, the grief, the grudge, even the love that the film tries to nicely wrap things up with... are all just on the surface level.

Ultimately I blame the director. The whole attitude this film shows makes me suspect, the terminal illness situation was just a dramatic device and nothing more for him. When a director wants to tackle such a grave issue as untimely death, he should give it the deserving attention down to its details. Some teenager's diary style sentimental monologues, beautiful shots of gray beach and half baked portrayal of family love won't save the project otherwise.