If you have watched “A Million Little Things” and loved it, you will enjoy the comedy-drama, “Good Grief”.
Aside from Dan Levy making his directorial debut in the film, which he wrote and stars in, he proves his deft hand in all three facets.
Of course, it drew eyeballs for Luke Evans’ brief appearance.
The film opens on a joyful note as Marc (Levy), a talented artist, and his writer husband, Oliver (Evans), throw a Christmas soiree with their close friends.
Oliver is the life of the party with his gregarious personality. Everything is picture-perfect until he leaves early as he has to travel to Paris for a book signing.
A few minutes after his departure, there is a tragic car accident and Marc is faced with a future without the love of his life.
Inconsolable, Marc’s best friends, Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel), help him through the dark days and try to cajole him out of his shell.
But Marc isn’t feeling sociable and, several months later, he isn’t ready to move on despite meeting Theo (Arnaud Valois), a dashing French guy at a gallery opening.
While figuring out his next move, he is dealt a heavy blow: he learns that his husband leased a flat in Paris and that he was having an affair.
Devastated, he goes to Paris with Sophie, who had left her job and broke up with her boyfriend, and Thomas. The three of them end up discovering things about themselves; finding the answers they seek in their respective life struggles.
The script is so beautifully written as it unravels the struggles of Marc to get the closure he needs to move forward in his life.
He also discovers that he put his needs on the back burner in his marriage and course corrects with a liberating leap into his art.
Sophie and Thomas embark on a similar journey as they push past their setbacks in finding love.
The casting is spot-on, with Levy delivering an emotionally-charged performance.
“Good Grief” is a bittersweet film, sensitively handled as it masterfully explores the emotions that come with death, infidelity, friendship, love – in a broader context and of oneself – and acceptance.
∎ “Good Grief” is streaming on Netflix.