A Boa Metade

The Good Half is a great film that should definitely be talked about more. It's a heart-wrenching movie about love and loss and how loved ones deal with grief after losing someone close. Nick Jonas (Renn) is phenomenal in this, he embodies his character perfectly. Brittany Snow (Leigh), Alexandra Shipp (Zoey), and Elisabeth Shue (Lily) are great in supporting roles as well. The filmmakers and actors all did a great job because this movie feels very real and authentic. Anyone who doesn't like this film or thinks it's too boring or sad, probably can't relate to it because if you've ever lost a loved one this movie captures exactly how it feels. This is definitely worth a watch. Great acting and a beautiful film!

Beautiful movie with beautiful acting. Nick surely made it all the way. It reminded me of my time when I lost my mother and i think this movie must be watched by every soul on earth to understand the feeling loosing a mother. I dont understand that why low rating, are people have become numb? Beautiful acting beautiful plot and beautiful feelings all the way. Whats wrong? This movie is filled with feelings and emotions and loosing a loved one. Should deserve an award or something. Its a movie for the people who have feelings and are alive and understand what is means to lose someone. I wish more of such movies comes in and we must care about this life which is only for once. Cheers to the team who made this movie and the idea behind this. Superb acting by all and must remember our end as well. Life is short and worth to make memories in a good way.

Why are you actually home? "My mom died."

Nick Jonas (as Renn) delivers one of the most natural, honest performances you'll ever see on film, as he returns to Cleveland to attend his mother's funeral (Lily, played by the fabulous Elizabeth Shue). Of course, the camera loves Jonas, and he's one of those actors that simply looks great on screen. Whether the camera is wide or close, he's warm, authentic and naturally charming. Then there's the superb direction from Robert Schwartzman which is also very thoughtful as he draws nuance after nuance from Jonas with subtle, quirky looks, awkward smiles, and nervous gestures). Jonas reaches acting nirvana because it never looks like he's acting.

Overall, it's often painful to watch as Jonas' character interacts with his distant father and strange step-father while missing his dead mother (through often funny flashbacks). He struggles that she left him but he also realizes he is powerless to do anything about it. But, he can hope. He wants so badly to re-live a day, an hour, even a moment with Lily. But, it's never melodramatic or overacted. Just completely natural.

Toward the end of the film, Jonas delivers a very fine monologue of just what The Good Half means to him. It's a memorable bookend to a performance that is truly perfect.

Bravo Nick.

This has to be one of my favorite movies of the year. The film follows Renn, an aspiring writer who returns home to Cleveland after the death of his mother. On the trip home meets, Zoey, a psychologist who he connects with. However, Renn is struggling with his family as the family makes preparations for his mother's funeral. Particularly, Renn is struggling with his sister Leigh, who has been doing most of the work while he is gone. At the same time, Renn finds himself relieving both good and bad memories about his mother while also learning that not everyone remembers things the same way he does. I don't want to give anything away, but I thought this was an amazing movie with a great cast. It was both emotional and funny. Brittany Snow stole the show as Leigh. Brittany is my all-time favorite actor, and this has to be among her best work. She captured what it is like to be stuck in the middle of family drama in a family crisis. She did a great job as the sister who is trying to keep the family together. She also delivers some heartbreaking scenes that blew me away. And yet, she was able to bring some levity to the role. She also did well playing off of Nick Jonas, whose character was stuck in his own way for a lot of the film. Nick Jonas proves he can not only act but lead a movie. Alexandra Shipp and Nick Jonas have amazing chemistry, and their relationship felt authentic and not forced or too over the top. Furthermore, I really liked a lot of the themes and subjects of this movie. It really captured what it's like when you lose a loved one. Renn and Leigh both go through the stages of grief in their own ways. The film also captured how both good and bad memories return in a situation like that. Lastly, the film does an excellent job of showing how different people remember people differently based on their relationship with them. Renn has one image of his mom, but his sister and the others he meets have a different one. My only complaint would be that I would've liked to have seen Leigh's character further developed. For example, there is mention of trouble with her boyfriend, but they never really get into that. Also, there was some Cleveland slander, which I didn't approve of (let's go, Cavs!). But other than that, it's a near-perfect film, IMHO. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone, especially Brittany Snow's performance alone.

This is a small, but touching movie about a death that does not overstay its welcome. Each person in the family grieves in their own way and even the sleazy stepfather had his moments.

I'm on the fence with Nick Jonas - I don't get his appeal, but he does a good enough job with this. However, isn't he supposed to be a singer? His karaoke was awful, but I don't know his music, so eh.

Elizabeth Shue is wonderful, as always, in the supporting role of his Mother, and so is Brittany Snow, as his sister.

A slow watch, but I can't say I was bored at all. In fact, it brought back some sad memories for me too.