Goodrich Feels More Like a Therapy Session Than a Movie

As a movie enthusiast with a penchant for character-driven narratives and a soft spot for tales of redemption, I found myself utterly perplexed by “Goodrich.” Having spent years immersed in the world of filmmaking myself, I can’t help but draw parallels between the life experiences of its writer-director Hallie Meyers-Shyer and her eponymous protagonist Andy Goodrich.

In the movie “Goodrich,” Andy Goodrich, portrayed by Michael Keaton, often receives apologies from people, which seems unusual considering his character’s ineptitude is central to the film’s plot. Andy, who is remarkably unaware of family matters, is taken aback when his wife reveals over a late-night call that she has admitted herself into rehab. This surprise matches his discovery that she isn’t sleeping beside him, as well as his realization that she has been battling a pill addiction. As a father, Andy has been largely absent for two generations of children. He is friendly with his older daughter from his first marriage, Grace (Mila Kunis), but his care for the precocious 9-year-old twins from his second marriage is as clueless as forgetting that one of them has a nut allergy. Andy’s life revolves around his art gallery, though it too is struggling, burdened with debt and unable to meet rent payments, causing artists to leave after unsuccessful shows. Even when his assistant accepts a superior job offer, Andy apologizes, showing a sense of obligation towards his boss that seems out of place given the imminent demise of the gallery.

According to writer-director Hallie Meyers-Shyer, the film ‘Goodrich’ is deeply influenced by her personal feelings about her father, Charles Shyer, who remarried and had two children with his third wife after his divorce from her mother Nancy Meyers. The movie isn’t always open to biographical interpretations, but this background sheds light on its underlying themes. ‘Goodrich’ portrays its title character as a lovable yet flawed individual, a powerful, charming presence that enhances the world around him, even at the cost of those closest to him. However, beneath this facade, the film harbors significant anger towards its protagonist despite its efforts to reconcile with him. This anger is particularly evident when Grace confronts her father for forgetting about a doctor’s appointment, revealing her suppressed feelings of resentment towards his prioritization of his younger half-siblings over her during her childhood. Despite this outburst, she quickly apologizes not for her words but for addressing him directly, as if breaking an unspoken agreement or pact established at the start of the movie.

The frequent apologies in “Goodrich” seem to indicate Goodrich’s intent to maintain a lighthearted tone, portraying it as a humorous tale of a man’s late midlife crisis rather than a story laden with female resentment. Meyers-Shyer, the daughter of successful Hollywood directors, is attempting to mirror their style in her films, but her work, particularly evident in “Goodrich” and “Home Again,” where her mother served as producer, carries an undeniable aspirational sheen that is a hallmark of Meyers’ work. However, unlike her predecessors, Meyers-Shyer seems to overlook the opulence of Andy’s meticulously decorated home, the art that consumes his life yet remains underappreciated by the camera, and even the numerous dinners he frequently abandons his children for. Watching “Goodrich” is not like touring a posh world; it feels more like entering the mind of someone whose perception of normality significantly deviates from our own. Grace’s description of Andy’s life as bohemian is puzzling, given that the film portrays him as a typical rich workaholic rather than a free-spirited individual.

The film Goodrich relies heavily on its lead character, Keaton, to be charming, and he certainly delivers on that front. One scene early in the movie shows him defying his wife’s wishes by driving to her treatment center, all while maintaining a blissful and amusing demeanor with piano music playing in the background. However, the character of Andy lacks the depth and appeal needed to fully explain why those around him are so willing to tolerate his flaws and continue supporting him. Instead of being an endearing relic, Andy appears to have lived in a self-centered bubble for decades, one that extends far beyond his own personality.

2024-10-18 16:54

Goodrich Feels More Like a Therapy Session Than a Movie

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