Good Grief
Synopsis: A year after losing his partner, a man invites his two best friends to Paris for some closure. (Available on Netflix as of January 2024)
Best reason to watch Good Grief? A trip to Paris. Second best reason? Spending time with Dan Levy. He brings lowkey charm and occasional snark to the film’s Marc, much as he did to David Rose in the comedy Schitt’s Creek.
Marc is a Canadian living in London with his mega successful writer husband, Oliver (Luke Evans). Oliver is also sexy and throws amazing parties. We meet the couple at Christmastime where we are quickly filled-in that former painter Marc is the illustrator of Oliver’s fantasy series which has Harry Potter level popularity. He also oversaw the interior design of their posh home.
The holiday party is jammed with artsy, affluent-looking guests including Marc’s besties Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel). The movie has a Love Actually vibe with London aglow for the holidays and hot mess Sophie tossing off bon mots like Emma Thompson in said movie. Thomas, an ex of Marc’s, seems thoroughly normcore and a little melancholy. A bit like Colin Firth’s Jamie.
Oliver does a weird thing at the party. Every year he forces the guests to learn the lyrics of a new holiday song that they will all belt out together. Everyone is smiling broadly and embracing during the forced performance. Then, even weirder, Oliver bids them all adieu, as he needs to head to Paris for a Christmas Day book signing at the Louvre. Life is perfect. What could go wrong?
Marc’s husband dies. Darn, I was hoping we’d see more of Luke Evans. As you’d expect, Marc is very sad. But after a year of mourning, he decides to visit the pied à terre in Paris that Oliver bought. He invites Sophie and Thomas as a thank you for helping him during his rough year.
I was so glad that Dan Levy has enough clout that the film is set in London and Paris instead of Toronto and Montreal. No offense to those fine Canadian cities. But Dan has done his time filming in Canada. Why not go for broke and set your story in Europe?
The Paris apartment is spacious and impeccably furnished– remember, Oliver had JK Rowling level wealth. Ruth and Thomas are gobsmacked, but Marc is missing Oliver. Naturally. But if you are going to be sad, strolling along the Champs Elysée is the place to be. Thank you, Dan Levy for bringing us to the City of Light and giving us a private tour of Monet’s water lily murals at the Musée de l’Orangerie. It’s good that he brought lots of cute footwear (red sneakers, pale moccasins) because the friends traipse all over the city. They ferris wheel at the Place de la Concorde, wine and dine and karaoke. Party girl Sophie makes a date and has the guy bring along a couple of gay friends to up the merriment. But the new trio is dull yet sketchy. I wished that Dan’s IRL dad, Eugene Levy would show up with some wise yet whimsical advice to loosen up Thomas, unsadden Marc and calm Ruth. But no, Ruth insists on getting drunk and flaunting her wildly furry rock star coat.
Is it too soon for Marc to find love ? Or at least go on a decent date? Well, there are some available guys… Theo (Arnaud Valois), a good-looking and accommodating Frenchman and Luca (Mehdi Baki), an Italian dancer. I’m guessing the screenplay called for a delectable twink, but the cast member isn’t cute or young enough to fit the bill. I mean, beautiful young men might be thin on the ground in Canada, but Paris?!
Good Grief festoons its story with a couple of twists and heartfelt talks. And would you believe that maybe Marc finding himself is more important than finding love? And if Dan Levy needs to make a sequel for Marc where he further searches for himself, I vote for a visit to the Eternal City, la Roma. But Vancouver would be okay too.