Josh Reviews Goodrich

In the opening scene of Goodrich, Andy Goodrich (Michael Keaton) is woken up in the middle of the night to a call from his younger wife, Naomi.  She’s booking herself into rehab for 90 days to deal with the prescription drug problem that Andy was too self-absorbed to know she had.  Andy, who to his point has been pretty much a completely absentee father, focused solely on the art gallery he’s owned and run for thirty years, now has to figure out how to be a parent to his twin nine year old kids, Billie & Mose.  Andy starts leaning on his daughter Grace (Mila Kunis) from his first marriage, who is pregnant with her first child.  In the process, he discovers how much work he has to do to repair their broken relationship as well…

I thoroughly enjoyed Goodrich!  This is a beautiful movie, skillfully written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer.  (Ms. Meyers-Shyer has previously written & directed one other film, 2017’s Home Again, starring Reese Witherspoon.  I’ve never seen it, but Goodrich was so good I now want to track it down!)

The film is a gentle character study, exploring Andy and his effect on those in his orbit.  There are serious topics explored in the film, but it never gets too grim or dour.  I appreciated the compassion that Ms. Meyers-Shyer had for Andy and all of the other characters in the film.  In the end, this is a film that is optimistic and hopeful, and I quite liked that about it.  Ms. Meyers-Shyer was also very smart to assemble a terrific array of comedic performers to play these roles.  This isn’t a comedic film; most of these actors — better known for comedies — play their roles in a straight, dramatic manner, which is the correct choice for the film.  But there’s a lightness to these actors that shines through, and I think that’s a big part of why the film works so well.

Let’s start with Michael Keaton, who gives a magnificent performance as the titular Andy Goodrich.  Andy has never had malice in his heart, but the film makes it clear, over and over again, that he’s always put himself, and his career, before his family and loved ones.  Mr. Keaton shows us all of Andy’s faults, and his performance is precisely calibrated to take us through the layers of Andy’s realizations of what a bad dad he’s been, and his gradual baby steps into trying to do better.  This is a familiar archetype in movies and TV — the self-absorbed and/or work-obsessed male who has to learn a lesson to be better — but Mr. Keaton’s performance makes this feel fresh and new.  This film is a wonderful showcase for his skills.  Right from the opening scene — in which we don’t cut away from Andy’s side of the phone call from his wife — the film rests comfortably on his shoulders.  There’s a scene, late in the film, in which Andy rides in an elevator and much of what he’s been dealing with comes crashing down on him.  It’s a silent scene; everything is played on Mr. Keaton’s face, and he is magnificent in the way he shows us everything that Andy is thinking feeling, without saying a word.  And, when Mr. Keaton is occasionally given the opportunity to lean into the humor, such as in a scene in which he and Grace are invited to a breathing workshop hosted by a client he’s trying to woo, he is very funny in the specific Michael Keaton way that he has always been!

Mila Kunis has the less showy role, but she is tremendous as Grace.  Grace loves and worships her father, and also has been deeply hurt by him.  She has very mixed reactions as she watches Andy learn to be a better dad to his young twins; she’s proud of him, and pained that he never was that type of dad to her.  Ms. Kunis gives a beautifully nuanced performance, playing the different aspects of what Grace is feeling.  She’s tremendous, and a wonderful partner for Mr. Keaton.  Anyone who saw 2010’s Black Swan knew that Ms. Kunis can skillfully anchor a dramatic role, but I feel like there haven’t too many films that have showcased that side of her.  So it’s nice to see it here.

Michael Urie (so fantastic as Brian on Shrinking) is a delight as Terry, a gay single dad with whom Andy strikes up a friendship.  Mr. Urie manages to be very funny, even when playing a depressed, sad-sack character.  I really liked this character (and wish we’d seen a little more of him in the film! I was sad we didn’t see him again in the film’s climax, following the scene in the hospital.  It’d have been nice had his character had more of a role in the film’s third act.)

Kevin Pollak (A Few Good Men, The Usual Suspects, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Better Things) is another comedic actor playing things straight here, as Sy, who is Andy’s partner in running the art gallery.  Sy doesn’t have too much to do in the story, but Mr. Pollak is always a welcome presence on screen.

Carmen Ejogi (so magnificent in The Penguin) has a small but important role as Lola, and important client who Andy is trying to woo for his art gallery.  Andie MacDowell is terrific in her one important scene as Andy’s ex-wife Ann, and Laura Benanti is also strong in her one important scene as Andy’s current wife, Naomi.  Danny Deferrari is great as Grace’s sweet, slightly clumsy husband Pete.

I enjoyed that there was some Jewish content woven into the story.  It’s not a focus, but it gives some nice texture to these characters and this world.  I enjoyed the presence of the Israeli babysitter for Andy’s twins (I loved hearing a character in a movie use Hebrew slang like mamash), and I smiled to hear Terry talk about making a l’chaim.  

Goodrich is available to watch VOD on Amazon Prime Video.  I’m really glad I saw it; I encourage you to give it a chance.

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