“You got this, mama!”
There are more than a couple of reasons to be excited about the new dramedy Goodrich. The fact that this is a story for grownups about real conflicts that wasn’t as low profile as others like it have been was reason enough to get some hopes up. Besides that, there was the reunion of Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell (and the hope that their chemistry from 1996’s Multiplicity would replicate), not to mention the interesting notion of seeing Keaton doing a reworking of his 1983 hit Mr. Mom. Finally, there was the excitement of seeing the pedigree of writer/director Hallie Meyers-Shyer (daughter of Nancy and Charles) flourish in her second time behind the camera following 2017’s Home Again. As it turns out, none of those reasons are worth getting excited about.
Andy Goodrich’s life is thrown into a tailspin when his wife Naomi (Laura Benanti) informs him that she has checked into rehab, leaving him in charge of their 9-year-old twins, Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Mose (Jacob Copera). As he tries to navigate life as an L.A. art gallery owner and play both parents to his children, Andy finds himself turning for help to Grace (Mila Kunis), his adult daughter from a previous marriage, who is currently expecting her first child and is somewhat reluctant to help her father.
Goodrich the film is almost as relentless and clueless as the character himself, often echoing the fact that he’s got to adapt to the new world quickly he’s found himself in. The film wastes no time plunging right into the story’s drama before the title even comes on the screen. This sets the tone for some inconsistent pacing with the filmmakers not knowing when to slow it down, speed it up, or simply end the scene. It doesn’t help that the film is overscored to death with a recurring musical theme that’s more at home in a posh restaurant than in a modestly budgeted dramedy. The music doesn’t do much to aid the many false moments of familial conflict that come out of nowhere and doesn’t add anything that furthers the main character or his journey. Yet even when everything behind the scenes threatens to give the audience whiplash when it comes to the emotion-hurdling narrative, there’s a definite appreciation of the fact that the filmmaker sidesteps some of the more obvious plot turns, especially when it comes to the overly long third act.
But the hurdles in Goodrich (both the character and the film) keep mounting. As the film progresses, other problems in Andy’s life keep him from focusing on the central matter at hand, namely trying to become the kind of father he never realized he could be. It’s a shame that the movie isn’t all in on this side of the story, especially since the script gives the character moments where we do see him slowly start to become the kind of parent he should have been all along. Instead, Goodrich throws a slew of subplots at the audience, each more unnecessary than the last, and all feeling like they only exist to showcase an overqualified actor in an underwritten role. There’s Michael Urie as the divorced gay dad of one of Billie and Mose’s classmates who feels like he’s only there to have an awkward moment with Andy. Elsewhere, there’s another storyline involving Carmen Ejogo as a songstress/poet whose artist mother has just died, prompting Andy to chase after her for the rights to her work so that he can showcase it in his gallery. Oh, right, the art gallery Andy runs with Kevin Pollack is also on the brink of closing due to financial difficulties.
Meyers-Shyer said that she wrote Goodrich with Keaton in mind and wouldn’t have made it had he said no. This was a wise move as the actor is so well-suited for the role and gives a performance that feels both in his wheelhouse and still remarkably fresh. Keaton is such a naturally affable persona, he’s able to bring out that same quality in Andy, despite his many flaws. He pairs well with every member of the bloated cast, especially the radiant Kunis. However, despite being the female lead of Goodrich, the actress disappears for large chunks of the film. It’s almost as if she’s been forgotten and overlooked by the movie as well as Andy. Still, the work she manages is a reminder of what an accomplished actress she is. The rest of the performers do well enough, but no one stands out in a movie that was only ever Keaton’s in the first place.
Goodrich isn’t a complete misfire, I should point out. As a filmmaker, Meyers-Shyer isn’t afraid to maintain a hold on some of the story’s tougher moments, such as when Andy is forced to tell his kids the truth about where their mom is. There’s also something both funny and sad about the way Andy remains flabbergasted by the announcement that Naomi has entered rehab while no one around him seems surprised. Meanwhile, a scene showing Andy and his twins watching Casablanca with father and son arguing about the ending is a breath of fresh air and the kind of scene you wish this movie had more of. Goodrich, both movie and character, can’t help but let down the people who believed in them, despite trying hard to deliver on their promises. Still, they both did their best.
