Good Grief Review | Navel-Gazing Only Goes So Far in Dan Levy’s Directorial Debut

Summary

• Good Grief is a mature drama that explores the messy reality of loss and the bonds we have with friends.
• Writer and director Dan Levy delivers a strong performance as Marc, a man coping with the deaths of loved ones. The supporting cast, including Himesh Patel and Ruth Negga, adds depth to the film’s emotional dynamics.
• While the film may lack the hard laughs of Schitt’s Creek and may be too heavy for its own good, its exploration into the complexities of grief and relationships is moving. Levy’s presence behind and in front of the camera make Good Grief a worthy watch.

You won’t be “Ew, David”-ing your way through Good Grief. Instead, grab a tissue and prepare to be moved. The comedy/drama is directed by uber hipster Dan Levy, the man who took black-and-white attire to new fashion heights playing David Rose on Schitt’s Creek. Levy also stars in Good Grief, the Emmy-winning actor, writer, and director’s first offering in the exclusive deal he inked with Netflix.

The film features a solid cast in a rare kind of love story — one that shines light on the bonds we have with dear friends. Here, Marc (Levy) is living in the shadow of his larger-than-life hubby, Oliver (Luke Evans). Oliver’s unexpected death tears Marc apart, sending him into the comforting arms of his two best friends, former lover-turned-BFF Thomas (Himesh Patel) and upbeat Sophie (Ruth Negga). A soul-searching trip to Paris sounds like a grand idea, but ultimately it exposes hidden truths Marc needs to face about his marriage and himself.

The film marks Levy’s directorial debut. He also wrote and produced the film, which is a fine outing overall. But if you’re looking for hard laughs in the vein of Schitt’s Creek, kindly readjust your expectations. You won’t find them here. Levy offers a more mature drama instead, one that occasionally feels too achy for its own good. Still, if you appreciate Levy’s engaging on-screen presence, movies with a stellar cast, and treks through Paris, Good Grief is a fitting post-holiday visit.

The Heart Aches, Maybe Too Much

Dan Levy was most recently seen in Haunted Mansion, The Idol, and Sex Education. The death of his grandmother sparked the idea for Good Grief, which serves up several death blows. When we first meet Marc, he seems content with his gregarious husband Oliver, but something stirs underneath the surface. You can see it on Marc’s face, and Levy handles these complex emotional nuances exceptionally. Marc is still coping with the death of his mother some months earlier. He puts on a happy face at a holiday party, but soon after Oliver leaves for a business trip, Marc and his party guests hear a car crash down the London street. It forever changes Marc’s world.

Related: The Best Episodes of Schitt’s Creek, Ranked

Good Grief makes great use of its supporting cast. Himesh Patel, previously seen in Enola Holmes 2, walks a shaky emotional tightrope here as well, playing Thomas. As Marc’s ex, their friendship is tight, but you sense a lingering thread of hope in Thomas’ eyes that maybe he and Marc can rekindle their former spark. It’s an emotional pang that may never quite get resolved.

Meanwhile, as Marc and Thomas swim deeper waters, pal Sophie splashes delightfully above the fray. But even she has a few emotional barriers to move through. It’s a fine troika to work with, and Levy, so obviously emotionally intelligent, proves himself as a confident director here — somebody who can aptly showcase the emotional intricacies of human beings and the curious dynamics they form in their relationships. That’s both great and challenging for Levy in something beyond a 22-minute comedic episode. At times, it feels as if Levy is too smart for his own good and the soupy emotions offered here would benefit from some levity.

Paris Saves the Day

The film’s second half delivers a brilliant tour through Paris — scenic, fashionable, artistic splendor at its best. This happens one year after Oliver’s death, when Marc finally opens the Christmas card Oliver handed him before the accident. The big “reveal” inside is a shock, sending Marc to Oliver’s Paris apartment. Soon enough, Marc begins to question the entire framework of what he once believed to be a solid marriage. Worse, he realizes he never dealt with his mother’s death. Thomas and Sophie arrive and the three take to Paris for a bit of cheer.

But this film seems to love staying low to the ground. Even when charming Arnaud Valois appears as Theo, a French art connoisseur, Levy relishes hinting there could be something more there between Marc and Theo, but would never dare give Marc a sense of relief. Interesting, because you get the sense that even before the grief, Marc may have appreciated life’s bizarre ironies, to the extent he would laugh at them. Levy does make great use of some absurd moments that befall Marc, but it would’ve been nice to see more of these opportunities.

Related: 20 All-Time Best Gay Characters in TV HistoryUltimately, Good Grief is a different kind of gay love story. Up until this point, audiences have been trained to follow plot beats that track a closeted man coming out, an AIDS/HIV character coping with major life transitions, or gay characters fighting for their civil rights. It’s rare to find an LGBTQ story that tracks the flipside of love — the messy reality every human being faces when confronted with major loss. It’s a bold move on Levy’s part, and despite its overtly bittersweet vibe, Good Grief somehow gets under your skin and keeps you invested in Marc’s journey. There’s a great deal of heart in Good Grief, which saves this film from sinking too far into emotional depths it cannot emerge from. Thanks to Levy’s shrewd writing and directing choices, Good Grief is a worthy investment.

Good Grief premieres on Netflix on January 5. You can watch it through the link below:

Watch on Netflix

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