Review: ‘Goodrich’ is the tale of a renaissance dad
‘Goodrich’ follows a man who unexpectedly finds himself to be a single father, though temporarily, while in the midst of trying to save his business.
There’s not necessarily a right way to parent, but there is certainly a wrong way. Many parents with busy careers don’t spend enough time at home, realizing too late that they’ve missed important childhood moments and that their now older children are resentful of their absenteeism. In addition to potentially trying to repair relationships with their existing kids, some people have the opportunity to do it all over again with a new family, which unsurprisingly introduces other complications. In Goodrich, a man tries to be there for his young twins, as well as his adult daughter who is expecting her first child.
Andy Goodrich (Michael Keaton) owns a once very successful gallery that is now on the verge of closure. Adding to his stress is the news that his wife unexpectedly checked into rehab, leaving him to care for his nine-year-old twins alone. Though Andy has an agreeable relationship with his expecting daughter, Grace (Mila Kunis), he wasn’t around much when she was growing up — a mistake he’s doing his best to avoid this time. Now, Andy must juggle parent-teacher meetings, playdates, shopping for baby supplies and doctor’s appointments, while trying to secure the rights to exhibit the works of a recently deceased artist that could save his gallery.
The film’s focus is Andy’s earnest attempts to do it all — with the aid of a flexible babysitter. Yet, children of divorce may find they identify more with Grace’s perspective as she watches Andy be the attentive and involved father to the twins that she never had at their age. Even now, she begrudgingly absolves him each time he puts his new family ahead of her, though it hammers another painful nail into her memory wall of disappointments. But one also can’t blame her for allowing him to try to be there for her since he consistently demonstrates how much he loves her. Kunis is well-casted, conveying the nuances of Grace’s emotions with just an expression — such as the “of course I can’t expect Andy not to go to his sick child, but I’m not any less disappointed he’s cancelling our plans again” look.
That said, Andy is charming and sincere, even when he screws up and especially when he begs for forgiveness. He’s also surprisingly upbeat and optimistic, answering negativity with wit and confidence — traits you don’t often see in men in his position. There’s a look of regret in his eyes when he witnesses another man being a good husband or father, earning him further favour with audiences who find themselves supporting his endeavours to be a better dad. Keaton appears to have a connection to Andy, perhaps drawing on his own experiences of work keeping him away from his son, who now has children of his own. Regardless of Keaton’s inspiration, he delivers an endearing performance.
Director: Hallie Meyers-Shyer
Starring: Michael Keaton, Mila Kunis and Kevin Pollak