A Review of ‘Good Side of Bad’: Family confronts a troubled mind in this pretty poignant drama
A woman tries to care for her disturbed younger sister while their brother and mother seem to be apathetic.
‘Good Side of Bad’: Family confronts a troubled mind in this pretty poignant drama
Cast: Jules Bruff, Lexi Simonsen, Alex Quijano, Tess Harper, Myles Grier, Kim Estes, Sadie Stratton, Tiffany Jeneen, Mildred Marie Langford, David Hadyn-Jones, Katie Von Till, Clyde J. Bruff, Storie Blake, Vanoy Burnough, Perry Daniel, Johnny Dowers, Grant Fieldgrove, Jodi Fung
Critic’s Rating: 3.5 Stars out of 5
Director: Alethea Root
Duration: 1 hour, 36 minutes
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Release: 2023
What’s it about?
A woman tries to care for her disturbed younger sister while their brother and mother seem to be apathetic.
Review:
Here’s a pretty affecting meditation on mental illness, familial animosity and human drama. Told in a simple yet heart-rending manner, this film delves into relations between three siblings and examines if they can keep it together while confronting mounting hardship and frustration. Though the story is not infused with too many dramatic turns, sincere acting and well-developed characters are sure to evoke the audience’s empathy. This while, the film highlights the fact that dysfunctional relationships are an integral part of life while posing the question whether support and love can transcend the challenge.
Good Side of Bad opens with a family photo of toddler Florence with her mother, older sister Sarah and brother Peter. We learn from the youngest child’s voice-over that Sarah (Jules Bruff) had assumed the role of her mother owing to the fact that their own matriarch was distracted pursuing a semi-celebrity career. Then the film switches to a young adult Florence (Lexi Simonsen) throwing herself off a bridge in what turns out to be an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Medical intervention revives her from the traumatic incident and psychiatric evaluation ensues. But, was the suicidal action one of self preservation as Florence insists? Meanwhile, Sarah calls Peter (Alex Quijano) who lives far way in Los Angeles to inform their mother (who also resides in the city) about the situation. But is the old lady capable of registering the news and reacting to it?
Against the advice of Dr. Richardson (Kim Estes), Sarah allows Florence to return to her normal life as an aspiring photographer. But when it becomes clear that the young lady can’t manage on her own, she moves in with the big sister while an unsympathetic Peter arrives on the scene. With no other viable option, the two older sibs admit Florence to a mental rehab home. Once there, she is reluctant to share her thoughts and feelings during group therapy sessions, but warms to a fellow-patient Dennis (Myles Grier). What follows are a worrying diagnosis and a tragic occurrence. This is when Sarah’s maternal instincts truly kick in, even though she is struggling to keep her own life together. But will the predicament trigger a change in Peter’s attitude, especially with him having to care for his mother? And will the tension between all involved get resolved?
Producer-director-co-writer Alethea Root, along with fellow-screenwriters Ciera Danielle and Jules Bruff, do a pretty good job at squeezing the film’s basic premise for humanity and relatable emotion. However, the change in Peter’s mentality seems a bit sudden and unfounded. Still, there is a touching and relevant revelation of Sarah’s back-story that helps determine her underlying needs and desires. And one is kept wondering whether and how the wilting mother of Sarah, Peter and Florence will eventually fulfil her role of bringing the family together.
While partaking of this emotional journey, movie aficionados might be induced to think of such Hollywood classics as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Ordinary People (1980) and Terms of Endearment (1983). Though, this celluloid project doesn’t quite boast the same amount of dramatic substance (or comedy) as those three films, it is perhaps infused with a tad more positivity. Also, adding to the film’s appeal is commendable and unobtrusive camera work, while the background music appropriately enhances the mood of various scenes. This, while Bruff and Simonsen play well off each other while capturing a range of emotion and interludes of silent visuals speak well for themselves. Can the film’s good themes truly overwhelm the bad? That is up to the audience as it discerns the... Good Side of Bad.
