Uma Boa Pessoa

Leave it to funnyman Zach Braff to play a subtle joke on all of us: casually and quietly dropping a superbly-written, powerfully-acted emotional gut-punch of a film the same day that we also get the gleeful carnage-fest that is John Wick 4. What a good weekend for movies this is turning out to be.

A Good Person tells a story of addiction recovery that has certainly been done many times before, but rarely do we ever see it done with this much tact, wit, and genuine power.

Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman both arguably give some of their finest performances here, with Pugh bleeding raw grief and Freeman sporting visible scars of grief so convincingly. Their friendly chemistry is tangible and compulsively watchable. If they were all this movie had to rely on, they would carry it easily.

Thankfully, though, the film also has the finest screenplay I've seen this year. The dialogue has an engaging charm to it but never loses its authenticity, carrying character development for EVERY character effortlessly and subtly through natural conversation.

When writing a comedy about a topic as bleak as this, it's very difficult to balance tones, but Braff makes it look easy. His film switches quickly between heart-wrenching and gut-bustingly funny many times within a scene, and often blends these tones together while never once coming across as insensitive or mean-spirited.

Braff clearly cares about his characters, and wants us to find the humor in their situations because he loves them and wants them to be happy.

My only complaint, if it even is a complaint, is that I found the ending to be a little too...nice, easy, and clean. A little bow gets wrapped on top of the ending of an emotional rollercoaster of a story and it seemed like the only contrived part of an otherwise beautifully authentic tale of recovery through genuine purpose.

"A Good Person", at the surface, is a nothing film. An indie drama with little-to-no buzz, all-too familiar subject matter, and no action or CGI.

I remember when I saw David Schwimmer's film, "Trust". I didn't know much about the subject of internet/sexual predators(especially the depth of its' impact on families), but it became very obvious to me that the filmmaker DID! It wasn't until after I finished the film, that I found-out that Schwimmer had a lot of experience/knowledge of the subject matter, and that is what elevated the drama/realism to a level you don't often see in film. This film does the same thing.

The first hour of "A Good Person" is about the best hour of any drama that I have ever seen. That's a bold statement from a guy that's seen about 4500 films, but I'm sticking to-it. I have been affected by both addiction and major car accidents, so in this case, I know the subject matter quite well. Perhaps that skews my opinions about the film, but it also qualifies me in some way to critic the writing, acting, and subject matter(realism); under a more powerful(and watchful) lense.

Zach Braff's writing and Florence Pugh and Morgan Freemans' acting make this, undoubtedly, one of the years best.

An hour-in, I had to stop the film after a couple different scenes, at that point, I was befuddled and truly shell-shocked by the effectiveness and realism of the first 2 acts. Scene after scene it was just so well done. I went from going-into the film quite blind, to realizing I was watching something VERY special. I felt like Indiana Jones in THe Last Crusade, "You have chosen, wisely". I also realized, that if the last act was as good as the first 2, that I would undoubtedly be rating the film as the 48th 10/10 that I have awarded. At the halfway point, definitely a 10 out of 10! Each scene in the films' first hour is realistic, completely engrossing and impeccably written.

I knew Braff had an impossible task. To finish the film on as high of a note as the films' first hour, would be difficult for any director. Its not that the final act is that bad, it's that the first two are just simply that good.. The only problem is that the film gets so many subplots involved, that it stood no chance of timely and adequately resolving each of them. Therefore the final act is slightly convoluted, rushed, and overdone. IF the final act were as strong as the films' first hour, literally removing one-less than perfect 5-min scene, I would have nudged-it onto the exceptional shelf with my favorite dramas of the last 2 decades; films like Whiplash, There Will Be Blood, The Descendants, and Short Term 12. As it sits(or finished), it will rank at or near the final film, "Short Term 12", in overall quality(9/10), and most akin to that comparison in genre and scope. Zero doubt that this film will hold a top-5 spot for 2023, and it currently sits at #1.

This is one of the best films I've ever seen in terms of tackling multiple dramatic subplots like addiction, grief, rehabilitation, friendship/support and hope; and by simply doing-it so well. It literally has the potential to save real peoples lives, and i don't think too many films can say that. It understands the subject matter. It realistically portrays serious family dynamics(maybe minus one scene), but is mostly, uncomfortably, realistic and dynamic.... Zach Braff moved way up the drama-director to watch list, if there is one. The writing of the entire film, the extremely well-fashioned scenes of the films' first hour(in particular), and those incredible performances, are what truly sets this film apart. It's a little more restraint in one particular scene away from 10/10 for this reviewer.

Just got back from watching this and I found it a very moving, if rather sad and tragic story.

Morgan Freeman adds his charismatic presence to any film he is in, and this is no exception with 'A Good Person'. Combined with a great performance from Pugh they really 'nail' the intensity of the tragedy.

A story of one brief moment of inattention leads to a tragedy that ripples out to many others. An aftermath of grief and blame and addictions . In part rather gritty although to a degree rather neat and tidy portrayals of addictions.

I found it a great story and I was riveted for the whole 129minutes, which passed in a blink.

I'd give this film a very solid 7.5/10 and well worth the price of a cinema ticket.

Would I watch it again? Actually probably not, i'm glad I watched it once and certainly well worth a watch, but the subject matter is rather to depressing for me to watch it again.

This movie is about a girl who gets in a car accident and kills two people and she survives. She is in so much pain afterwards that she gets addicted to painkillers. There were so many moments in this movie that got me emotional and I even cried at a lot of moments because even though I am no drug addict, I related to the main character so much because even though she caused the car accident, she blamed herself nonstop for it and never got over it. And I've been the same way too with stuff that happened in my life; only difference is 90 percent of the time it isn't my fault. It's like a part of me sympathizes the main character but doesn't at the same time. And I won't give away spoilers so you gotta watch it yourself to realize why I say that. Overall, this was a great movie and it can leave you with a lot of emotions. I give it an 8 out of 10. And tbh this was the first time in my life I ever cried AFTER a movie ended.

Florence Pugh is going to need to start bringing a chiropractor with her to set because A Good Person is yet another example of a film where Pugh's performance carries the entire film. In the case of Don't Worry Darling, she made an average film watchable, however, in the case of A Good Person, she takes a good, solid film and takes it to the next level. A Good Person is a great movie - it just so happens that its best element, its strongest strength is Pugh herself. Pugh's excellence in roles is becoming a trend, I can't remember a movie from her career where she wasn't the standout. She showcases time and time again why she is one of the best actresses working right now, and it is especially noticeable in this film. In moments where the script is lacking, or another actor might not be doing enough, Pugh's performance completely covers it up. Frankly, I am stunned by her skills as an actress, especially in how she can sell nearly any scene with ease. The movie on its own is good, but it is Pugh's complex and nuanced performance that makes it a great movie.

A Good Person left me on the verge of tears for most of its runtime. Go in expecting yourself to cry at one point or another. I cried, I laughed, and then I cried again. It tells quite a moving story, working through themes of tragedy and addiction. The story overall is quite simple as it really is nothing we haven't seen before, but the movie finds its strength in its portrayal of its themes. It's a raw, honest, human story about two battered and bruised souls whose fates are intertwined trying to find some solace in their lives. Two good people who have been broken by their addictions, by life. The film hits you where it hurts while also reminding you what a gift it is to be alive and have other, good people in our lives, despite all the bad things. Now, let's be real. The subject matter has all been covered before, it's nothing revolutionary. We really have seen everything before, and perhaps in better ways. The movie is too long, it drags in some places and overall nears becoming a tonal mess in some places.

Despite this, writer/director Zach Braff managed to truly craft an effective, emotional, and moving film. It purely is a good film. Part of the reason it doesn't become a rambling mess is that Pugh and Freeman are so damn good. Frankly, this movie is an excellent example of why casting matters. Without these two, I don't know that this movie would have been as good as it was. It probably would have been fine, but their presence 100% elevated the film in so many ways.

A Good Person is a good movie. You know the type: the kind that you come out of just feeling good. It may not be the most refined or revolutionary film, but it is good. It works. It had everything I wanted from it plus some phenomenal performances. It reminds me of the tone of shows I am loving right now: Ted Lasso and Shrinking. Sure, this movie might be a little darker than those, but they still are all from the same vein. Mental health, grief, and addiction. This one takes less of a comedy-drama approach and more of a dramatic approach, but it sure does work. It's sad but so worth watching, if only for Florence Pugh's amazing performance!