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The Good Half

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The Good Half

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Summary

Returning home for his mother's funeral, Renn Wheeland forges new relationships and heals old ones as he faces his grief. Drama, starring Nick Jonas, David Arquette and Brittany Snow

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Review

A star rating of 2 out of 5.

David Parkinson

It's hard to find a new angle on a topic that's been as comprehensively covered on screen as bereavement. But Robert Schwartzman's feature does itself no favours by asking us to empathise with a character we know nothing about and whose snarky sulking does little to endear him to anyone in the drama or the audience. Nick Jonas gives a shallow and self-satisfied performance as Renn Wheeland, a 20-something returning to Cleveland for the funeral of the beloved mother (Elisabeth Shue) he barely saw during her battle with cancer. Both his sister (Brittany Snow) and stepfather (David Arquette) resent his aloof disinterest in the requiem arrangements, as Renn sneers at the coffin salesman and the priest who have been lined up in his absence. Moreover, he keeps slinking off to see Zoey (Alexandra Shipp), a therapist he met-cute on the plane, who keeps giving him permission to indulge his boorishness as he works his way through the five stages of grief. This is well made, with some neat flashback transitions. But the more it shoots for sincerity, the more it wallows in sentimentality.

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5.6/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameRenn WheelandNick JonasLeigh WheelandBrittany SnowZoey AbbottAlexandra ShippRick BaronaDavid ArquetteDarren WheelandMatt WalshLily WheelandElisabeth Shue

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Crew

rolenameDirectorRobert Schwartzman

Details

Released on

2024-09-02

Languages

English

Guidance

swearing

Formats

Colour

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