Good Grief

Have you ever experienced the loss of your partner in your life? Have you tried to find fault with others in order to better cope with the situation? How much did your friends help you get through this stage in your life, and how important were they to you during this time? Is there a time frame for how long a person should grieve a loss? These are the questions you will ask yourself while watching Good Grief. Dan Levy's directorial debut, in which he has put a significant part of his story, is an unorthodox romantic drama that touches closely on the themes of love, grief, forgiveness, reconciliation and new beginnings.

In Good Grief, Dan Levy creates a morose take on the rom-com, dealing head-on with the different ways grief affects people. The idea is strong in that it's different, and maybe even innovative, to try to place grief at the center of a film like this--but it would have taken a more deft hand and a little more digging to make this work. I think Levy might have served himself better had he chosen someone else to play the lead. Then he could have given that actor more challenging scenes to work with, maybe even had him struggle with sorrow and loss. Instead, the film comes off as the story of a pampered man who seems to lack depth. There needed to be more of an idea than: three friends go to Paris with what seems like an endless expense account to shake off the blues.

Passion is the yin to grief's yang--and this film lacks passion. We sense no real sparks between Levy and Evans early in the film, and even less when he mets the French Theo in Paris. When we see two actors kissing passionately, we need to feel the heat, feel that they can barely control themselves in the moment. Levy does not seem up to it and that affects the whole film. His sadness is more like that of a person who didn't get the table he wanted in a tony restaurant.

There was a better film hiding in here.

For those who cherish Daniel Levy from the humor and escapism Schitt's Creek provides, this is not that... adjust your lens and your expectations. This is a beautiful film that portrays real life in a myriad of ways and the actors do a fantastic job sharing that story. This felt very ready for the stage yet as a film it never gave me the release I tend to crave. No high highs, no drastic lows... just a restrained and even keeled world in which the characters still remain in tact. Not exactly what I hoped it might be, but still has its place and I'm happy it exists, especially to offer greater representation of many underrepresented communities.

People are looking at this movie in a weird way. It is an original love story, regarding two people, and the *most complications you can fit into a love story while holding it all together. It, has the least amount of tropes for this category of film, and draws you in emotionally on several different levels.

Here is where the reviews start to slant. It's what I've heard as a "gay-mance" movie. Meaning a romantic film involving lovers of the same sex (in case you don't know). But if Dan Levi was played by Rachel McCadams, this would be better than The Notebook; and I hope someone tells Dan Levi that. It's a great romance that should be recognized in film. It was great to watch with my wife and ask "what if...?" I would implore everyone else to do the same.

Good Grief delivers a compelling narrative with Dan Levy's standout performance stealing the spotlight. He knows what he is doing and what he wants to achieve and he does that well, with raw, honest emotions. His portrayal is both captivating and, at times, a tad obnoxious, but if it is part of the storytelling, I accept it.

The storytelling is enriched by a well-curated musical backdrop. I love the music.

However, the subplot involving his female friend feels somewhat disjointed, lacking the depth that could have enhanced the overall experience. It's a little bit too much, for my taste.

While the film offers a love story, it falls short of exploring the characters' personalities and stories in a more profound manner.