THE STORY – Art dealer Andy Goodrich’s life gets upended when his younger wife leaves him and enters a 90-day rehab program while also threatening divorce. Andy takes charge of their 9-year-old twins, thrusting him into the world of modern parenthood for which he is deeply unprepared. With his career falling by the wayside, he soon leans on his pregnant daughter for support, ultimately becoming the father she never had.
THE CAST – Michael Keaton, Mila Kunis, Carmen Ejogo, Michael Urie, Kevin Pollak, Vivien Lyra Blair, Nico Hiraga, Danny Deferrari, Laura Benanti & Andie MacDowell
THE TEAM – Hallie Meyers-Shyer (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 111 Minutes
Before starring in Tim Burton’s late ’80s macabre hits “Beetlejuice“ and “Batman,“ Michael Keaton won hearts with the early ’80s domestic comedy “Mr. Mom.“ Directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes, this piece of nostalgia put Keaton on the Hollywood map. In addition to making over $60 million at the 1983 box office, “Mr. Mom“ was the first role of Keaton’s career for which he received top billing. In the film, Keaton plays Jack, a stay-at-home dad bewildered by the responsibilities of fatherhood when his wife returns to work. The actor’s fireball energy often fits characters of Jack’s nature who figure things out on the fly and beg for mercy later. Keaton brings this precise spirit to his latest film, “Goodrich,“ and one can’t help but think back on the parental role that sparked his lovable movie stardom. Written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, “Goodrich“ puts a workaholic dad to the test in a modern family drama about the ups and downs of reconnecting with loved ones.
Art dealer Andy Goodrich (Keaton) operates a chic Los Angeles gallery, where he spends most of his time until a late-night call throws his busy life for a loop. Andy’s wife Naomi (Laura Benanti) phones him to share that she has checked into a 90-day rehabilitation program. Being so consumed by the art world, he feels bewildered by this news, but his confusion does not surprise Naomi. He’s been spending so much time away from home, leading them to live separate lives, that he doesn’t realize she has been struggling with an addiction. Nor can he comprehend that their marriage might be over. Naomi’s absence suddenly pushes Andy into the everyday dynamics of parenthood, as he now must take on full responsibility for their nine-year-old twins Billie (Vivien Lyra Blair) and Mose (Jacob Kopera).
From school drop-offs and sleepovers to fielding curiosity about where mom is, Andy starts feeling the pressure. With Keaton in the role, this juggle can be amusing, frustrating, and heartfelt to watch as he so deftly captures the energy of someone who thinks he’s trying his darnedest. Finding it hard to balance career and family, he reaches out to his adult daughter Grace (Mila Kunis) from his previous marriage, and she becomes his shoulder to lean on. While this setup alleviates familial pressure off Andy, it transports Grace, pregnant with her first child, to a time of loneliness. As the two reconnect, she watches him give the twins a doting version of fatherhood that she never got to experience.
While Andy and Grace are not the most fleshed-out characters, the combined regret and yearning they evoke adds some engaging complexity to the family dynamics at play. But the film misses opportunities to delve into how both grapple with a newfound togetherness. Their heartfelt reconnection is clearly at the narrative core, though it’s approached mainly from a distance, with a few emotionally impactful moments sprinkled on top. The strongest moments are the ones of still reflection, when Andy, in particular, is forced to look inward and reconcile lost time. Also, Meyers-Shyer smartly avoids having Grace step into Andy’s life and take care of all the domestic responsibilities without question. Grace pushes back and voices the pain from her childhood that has been following her like a stream of madness over the years. Watching these two characters find their way together is the film’s highlight.
Michael Keaton’s endearing performance as Andy drives the heart of this story. Seemingly written with Keaton in mind, the film delightfully plays to the strengths of his kinetic charm and likability. Meyers-Shyer’s direction holds space for a total natural who can fill a room with his presence and make every little moment feel authentically lived in. Keaton has the spontaneity, wit, and gravitas to balance comedic elements with key dramatic scenes of family reconciliation and severe denial. He also fields distracting subplots with a level of commitment the film needs to drive its fairly thin narrative. Keaton might not have the most compelling material to work with, but his sincerity as a performer makes the character stand out. He also shares fine chemistry with Mila Kunis, who makes a lasting impression as Andy’s daughter Grace. Best known for her comedic work from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall“ to the long-running “That ’70s Show“ and “Family Guy,“ Kunis gets a moment to shine in a much more grounded role with “Goodrich.“ She excels at patiently drawing out the character’s interior dilemma, which builds to an emotionally revealing scene in the final act.
The father-daughter dynamic gives the film a reliable hook to grab onto and frankly yearn for, as the story too often deviates from this emotional core. The characters’ growing involvement in each others’ lives loses momentum to various underdeveloped subplots written around them. Carmen Ejogo, Andie MacDowell, and Michael Urie each bring a spark to the story that gets lost in lacking characterization. Thankfully, the central connection between Keaton and Kunis is strong enough to anticipate despite the less resonating elements of the story. While the film is underwhelmed by rushed plotting and predictability, Meyers-Shyer finds strength in a coming-of-age role made for Keaton’s charm, which brings it to life.