The opening scene of Goodrich is as abrupt for us as for its protagonist. Michael Keaton’s Andy Goodrich is startled awake by a late-night phone call from his wife, Naomi (Laura Benanti). Warning him not to freak out, she tells him she’s checked herself into a 90-day rehab program. His first instinct is to assume she’s joking – he not only hadn’t noticed his wife didn’t come home that night, but was completely unaware she was struggling with prescription pills. Suddenly, Naomi’s the one blowing up, and she informs Andy that she’s also leaving him.
We’re unfamiliar with the circumstances of Andy’s life at this point, and to a certain extent, so is he. There is a breathlessness to Goodrich‘s first stretch as he tries to get a grip on things, and I worried the film would never settle into a rhythm. But it does, as he does. The emotional journey of this film works because of this closeness to his experience, and infusing comedy with heart is a potent mix. It feels familiar, perhaps, but familiarity is easy to forgive when a movie still delivers on its promises.
Goodrich Tries To Make Its Unconventional Family Dynamic A Centerpiece
But That Isn’t What Kept Me Engaged
I imagine writer-director Hallie Meyers-Shyer envisioned Goodrich‘s family dynamic as the primary selling point. Naomi is Andy’s second, much younger wife. They have two 9-year-old twins together, Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Mose (Jacob Kopera), who suddenly become Andy’s responsibility in his wife’s absence. But he also has Grace (Mila Kunis), his daughter from his first marriage, who is herself married and pregnant with her first child.
At this critical juncture in his personal life, and facing problems at the art gallery that has been his true passion, Andy must confront the reality of his parenting. Forced to grow, he gradually learns how to be there for his young kids. And though he’s also spending time with Grace, he is slow to recognize change is needed there, too. Approaching parenthood herself, she gets to watch as her much younger siblings start to get the father she’d always wanted. Meyers-Shyer lets us in on her silent turmoil through Kunis, even if Andy isn’t seeing it.
Goodrich gets the most mileage out of Andy’s personal development. He is, as Grace notes, a little late to his midlife crisis…
In reality, this whole situation is the film’s most straightforward emotional arc. The matter-of-factness with which it’s presented could be a factor, which would be to Goodrich‘s credit. Meyers-Shyer has no intention of generating laughter or pathos at the expense of this family shape. But, it’s also easy to understand and predict; where Grace and Andy are headed is visible from her first look of disappointment. Either way, even if I was still swept up in it by the end, this thread wasn’t what sustained my interest.
Michael Keaton Adds Layers To His Character Arc
Andy’s Development As A Man Is Goodrich’s Best Storyline
Instead, Goodrich gets the most mileage out of Andy’s personal development. He is, as Grace notes, a little late to his midlife crisis, and he lacks the emotional tools to navigate it. Watching him adjust to his new responsibilities is also watching him learn how to deal with feelings, whether others’ or his own. That journey is as funny as it is engaging.
It makes for a generous, empathetic portrait of a certain kind of masculine, paternal archetype…
Keaton’s performance is the heart of this success. He somehow conveys his character’s self-examination as a layer underneath each scene, to the extent that in each interaction outside a work setting, Andy appears to be discovering how to behave. It’s like he was dropped into this movie right when we were, snapped out of whatever illusion kept him running for so long and having to learn what’s really been going on with the people around him for the first time.
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It makes for a generous, empathetic portrait of a certain kind of masculine, paternal archetype, one whose chief sins were absence and unavailability. As a story of parental reckoning, Goodrich lacks the interrogative instinct of something like Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks, and it rushes Grace’s catharsis as a result. But as a story of a man’s late-stage awakening, it strikes a more resonant chord.
Goodrich releases exclusively in theaters on Friday, October 18. The film is 111 minutes long and is rated R for some language.
6/10
When Andy Goodrich’s wife enters rehab, he’s left to care for their young twins alone. As he navigates modern parenthood, he relies on his daughter Grace from his first marriage, ultimately becoming the father she never had.
- A well-executed mix of comedy and feel-good drama
- Michael Keaton’s layered performance
- A clear-eyed look at a certain type of masculinity
- Emotional beats can be familiar & predictable
- Would’ve benefitted from more interrogation of Andy & Grace’s relationship