Cast: Nick Jonas, Brittany Snow, David Arquette, Alexandra Shipp, Matt Walsh, Elisabeth Shue
Director: Robert Schwartzman
Screenwriter: Brett Ryland
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
 
Grief is something everyone will face at some point, whether it's from losing a parent, friend, or pet. It's a natural part of life. People cope with grief in different ways, but trying to completely avoid it usually makes things worse. This is the main idea behind Robert Schwartzman's movie, The Good Half.
 
The film follows Renn Wheeland (Nick Jonas), who returns to Cleveland, Ohio, after his mother, Lily (Elisabeth Shue), has passed away. From the beginning, Renn tries to avoid dealing with his feelings. He lies to a friendly passenger, Zoey (Alexandra Shipp), about why he's back home and even asks his Uber driver to take a longer route to avoid seeing his dad, Darren (Matt Walsh), and his strict sister, Leigh (Brittany Snow). Despite his efforts, Renn can’t escape the memories of his mom and will eventually have to confront them.
 
Nick Jonas does a great job portraying Renn’s attempts to avoid facing his mother’s illness and death. The script by Brett Ryland supports his performance well, especially in the funny moments, where a bit of charm is needed. These lighter scenes don’t overshadow the film’s serious message but allow Jonas to shine in the more subtle parts. Brittany Snow also delivers a strong performance, especially in emotional scenes, showing a kind of brilliance that few actresses have.
 
As Renn and Leigh manage the details for their mother’s funeral, their different ways of handling grief become clear. The film focuses more on Renn’s avoidance, which makes sense since it’s his story. However, the script sometimes makes Renn’s family seem like they’re handling grief poorly, portraying Leigh as “too uptight” and his father as “too intrusive,” even though they are just trying to help. Renn often sees their efforts as problems rather than support.
 
In The Good Half, the contrast between accepting and avoiding grief might be effective under normal circumstances. However, the film doesn’t give much insight into the supporting characters' feelings and actions, except in a few scenes. This can make it hard to fully understand or empathize with them. Renn’s resistance sometimes seems whiny, making it difficult to grasp his perspective.
 
Despite this, The Good Half is interesting because grief can make people act out of character and get stuck in their own emotions. It can be hard to see things from others’ perspectives. The important message is to show compassion, even if someone’s behavior is negative. Dealing with a loved one’s death is incredibly hard, and everyone deals with it differently.