Film Review: GOODRICH (2024): Michael Keaton is First-Rate in a Touching, Warm-Hearted Drama

Goodrich Review

Goodrich (2024) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer and starring Michael Keaton, Mila Kunis, Andie MacDowell, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Urie, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Benanti, Kevin Pollack, Andrew Leeds, Vivien Lyra Blair, Chloe Troast, Kimberly Condict, Danny Deferrari, Liza Treyger, Nico Hiraga, Domnique Star, Michael Chieffo and Noa Fisher.

Director Hallie Meyers-Shyer has crafted a feel-good winner with the deeply moving drama, Goodrich, which showcases a career-high performance from the film’s star, Michael Keaton. Although Keaton has delivered some great performances in films such as Clean and Sober and Birdman, there is something special about the actor delivering a performance like the one he delivers in the new film so late in his career. This role feels like a tribute to the actor’s comic and dramatic abilities and Keaton is nothing short of perfect in his role here, adding his signature charisma and relatability to his part.

Keaton plays the title character, Andy Goodrich. He learns that his current significant other, Naomi (Laura Benanti), has checked into rehab as the film’s main story begins. Andy has two young children with Naomi. Andy soon must learn to become more responsible in his domestic life than he’s ever been before as he makes the effort to deal with the absence of Naomi who doesn’t even talk to him when they connect on the phone. For work, Andy runs a struggling art gallery which is facing financial pressures. When the logistics of the gallery staying in business are discussed, Andy tries to remain positive, especially hoping for the best for his staff.

Mila Kunis is Andy’s daughter from another marriage, Grace. She’s significantly older than her siblings. We learn Grace is pregnant and has always felt that there was a bit of neglect from her dad, Andy, in certain instances. These two characters re-establish their bond over the course of the movie as Andy continues to disappoint Grace in-between moments where they get to relate to each other as father and daughter.

Carmen Ejogo plays the daughter of a famous female artist who passes away. Andy wants to secure the legacy of the artist and seeks the daughter’s permission and approval to take over the handling of her mom’s work. Ejogo and Keaton share some great scenes together as their characters get to interact with one another, especially during a spiritual healing exercise that the film has a lot of fun with. Ejogo’s character must make some hard choices here and they play out believably and effectively as the development of the bond between her character and Keaton’s is plausibly altered but, surprisingly, sustained.

One of the most intriguing performances here is that of the young actress, Vivien Lyra Blair, who plays Andy’s daughter, Billie. Blair shines in her screen time playing this character and can remind viewers of a young Mara Wilson. She is witty and smart and shows promise as an up-and-coming child star.

This film works best in the scenes between Keaton and Kunis who play off each other with timing and precision that only two pros like them could pull off. When Grace needs Andy to take her to the hospital, he gets sidetracked by another life event. Eventually, Andy makes it to the hospital to be with her and Kunis’ line delivery as she tells Andy off is nothing short of heart-wrenchingly real. We learn why Grace has held in her true feelings for so long and when she finally lets them out, it makes for some wonderful, heartfelt moments within this film.

Andie MacDowell is one of the few underdeveloped characters here but as Andy’s past partner, the actress makes the most of her very minimal screen-time. Other than a few minor quibbles with the way the story shifts towards the very end, Goodrich is a truly moving cinematic drama. The film is especially strong when Andy sees Naomi again who tells him the truth about her decisions regarding the future of their relationship. Keaton and Benanti are perfect in this scene.

Goodrich will remind people of the hard moments in everyday life and the awkwardness of certain relationships as they develop throughout our lives. Hallie Meyers-Shyer does a great job in terms of her direction. She has a keen sense of characterizations that manifest themselves during the course of the picture. Goodrich will remind viewers that no matter how difficult things get, life is a journey worth taking and worth sharing with those we love.

Rating: 8/10

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