Hallie Meyers-Shyer hasn’t written or directed a feature (or anything) since 2017’s Home Again, which was a very schmaltzy movie with Reese Witherspoon (Sing 2). So, when her new movie cast Michael Keaton (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)) and Mila Kunis (Black Swan) and seemed like another family drama about a single (or semi-single) parent in this case, it certainly seemed like it would be another middle-of-the-road drama that coasted by and just passed the time for the audience. But Goodrich is so much more than that and is something truly unexpected. This is partially due to the wonderful cast and the chemistry between Keaton and Kunis, as well as the very well-fleshed out script Meyers-Shyer penned — a seemingly very personal script which evokes a strong visceral reaction from the audience.
L-R: Jacob Kopera as Mose, Michael Keaton as Goodrich, and Vivien Lyra Blair as Billie in GOODRICH. Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment.
The movie focuses on Andy Goodrich (Michael Keaton) as his significantly younger wife, Naomi (Laura Benanti), phones him to inform him that she has self-checked herself into a 90-day rehab. First completely shocked at this knowledge, he slowly becomes unnerved at the fact that he had no idea his wife was, firstly, suffering, and, secondly, that it was pills and not the alcoholism he casually accused her of. While Goodrich (as he’s referred to in the movie) is now left and tasked with raising their 9-year-old twins, Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Mose (Jacob Kopera), he suddenly realizes, in his second time at being a father, that he still truly has no idea what to do with his kids, how to take care of them, and can’t get it together.
While he’s trying his best to raise his kids and manage his art gallery (trying to get a massive exhibit in his gallery as well), he has to take a hard look at his life and figure out what matters most to him. Goodrich enlists the help of his first daughter, Grace (Mila Kunis), as she’s a mom-to-be and he wants to reconnect with her, as well. First, Grace is incredibly reluctant due to her issues with her father (as he only ever cared about his work and did not care about being a dad when she was growing up), and tries to help him to be the father he should’ve been to her and the father he now wants to be. While guiding one’s parent to be the parent you always wished them to be is a hard task, the way Meyers-Shyer crafts this story is truly incredible, heartfelt, poignant and funny. Goodrich proves to be a sleeper hit that no one saw coming.
L-R: Mila Kunis as Grace and Michael Keaton as Goodrich in GOODRICH. Photo courtesy of Ketchup Entertainment.
Keaton, who has been a master of his craft for literal decades, is back and continues to be back in a leading role after a little bit of a rough patch. Playing a new character, which isn’t based on some existing IP, that is just humanistic, is truly a testament to his ability to perform and create an incredible down-to-Earth performance. While, on the other hand, Kunis is arguably the best she’s ever been; the performance is grounded and feels lived-in and brings a new level of emotional depth to the world created by Hallie Meyers-Shyer.
Movies like this that are not entrenched in a message, usually religious, get bogged down by said message, but Goodrich is just a solid movie about a father trying to do right by his kids at his second chance at being a dad while repairing the damage he’s done with his first child. Goodrich is a type of movie that is rarely experienced anymore among today’s cinematic journeys, let alone one that gets released theatrically. It is a testament to how special Goodrich is and what the incredible cast mixed with the great direction and writing Hallie Meyers-Shyer bring to the forefront.
In theaters October 18th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Goodrich website.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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