Dan Levy’s sitcom Schitt’s Creek only achieved international acclaim once it started streaming on Netflix, so it’s only fitting that the Canadian comedian’s feature debut as a writer-director would debut on the streamer. While it’s just as cheesy as expected, Good Grief benefits from a charming and genuine approach to its familiar genre trappings.
The film follows a man who takes a trip to Paris with his two best friends a year after his husband’s sudden death, only to find that his storybook romance might not have been as idyllic as it seemed. Although Good Grief hits many familiar beats, it does so with such an earnest sentimentality that it’s easy to be charmed by the end.
While Levy’s debut is billed as a comedy-drama, it’s much heavier on drama than comedy. There are a few jokes — including one with Kaitlyn Dever that is particularly funny — but the focus here is more on the melodrama that arises in the wake of the tragedy in the opening moments. Everything about Good Grief feels slightly too nice, but the niceties are charming enough to work.
Good Grief is charming if you’re a fan of Dan Levy
The biggest issue with the movie is that it bites off more than it can chew in a thematic sense. Of course, the film primarily explores the protagonist’s grief over the loss of his husband and his attempts to get over it. However, there are also themes of adultery, friendship, and the protagonist’s grief over his mother — none of which feel particularly well-developed.
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Ultimately, this movie lives or dies on how much the audience likes Dan Levy. He’s doing his usual schtick in many ways, albeit with more of a focus on the emotional aspects. Some may find themselves more annoyed by Levy’s whininess, which could prevent them from connecting with the character. However, there’s something deeply sympathetic about the character — perhaps even pitiable — that makes him lovable here.
Alongside Levy are Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel, who both give equally layered performances. Negga and Patel make some infuriatingly selfish choices but are often charming nonetheless. Finally, in his small but pivotal supporting role, Luke Evans is truly phenomenal, showing how much emotion he can get out of even just a short few moments.
That being said, there are some frustrating things about the central dynamic. The characters fall victim to the “old friends” cliche, where we are supposed to buy into them being friends just because they’ve known each other for so long. There are some fleeting references to their past, but there are more than a few moments where you wonder whether these people would actually be friends in real life.
From a technical standpoint, Good Grief hardly does anything spectacular. Given that much of the movie is set in Paris, there are a lot of travelogue-like shots of the city. However, Levy’s debut is at its strongest when it leans into its intimacy, focusing less on the setting and more on the performances and script.
Good Grief is hardly a perfect film, and if there’s one word to describe Dan Levy’s feature debut as a writer-director, it’s “safe.” However, for fans of the actor, it’s a charming little dramedy that will win you over with how much it wears its heart on its sleeve.
Good Grief hits theaters on December 29 and streams on Netflix beginning January 5.
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Rating: 7/10
