Goodbye June: Navigating Family Dynamics In A Flawed Tearjerker

Goodbye June marks the directorial debut of Kate Winslet, but is also a family affair, as the film is written by her son (with director Sam Mendes), Joe Anders, in his own feature debut. Set before Christmas, an unexpected change in June’s (Mirren) health takes a turn for the worst, throwing her four children Julia (Winslet), Helen (Collette), Molly (Andrea Riseborough), and Connor (Flynn) and their exasperating father Bernie (Timothy Spall) into chaos as they try to navigate messy family dynamics in the face of potential loss of their matriarch. Luckily for them, June’s willingness to go out on her own terms eased the strain on her family, opting to provide them light, honesty, and laughter in their desperate time of need. A decent tear jerker, the film makes for a fine debut that is clearly personal for Winslet.

Above all else, the film’s one saving grace is the ensemble cast Winslet has assembled here, all turning in pitch perfect performances and their chemistry is absolutely on point, as grieving family members who each addressing theirs in their own ways. Very much an ensemble piece, Winslet is a standout as Julia, delivering an emotionally grounded performance. Meanwhile, Collette and Riseborough also shine as Helen and Molly, and Spall is quietly devastating as Bernie, becoming increasingly so as the film progresses. Aside from Winslet, other highlights are Flynn and Mirren, as Connor and the titular June. The most relatable character of the film, one can’t help but sympathize with Connor for how he reacts and handles situations. June is the heart of the film and is responsible for most of the film’s most impactful moments, while providing it some much needed warmth.

The central dysfunctional family dynamic, viewed through the lens of what were trying circumstances, watching them come together and put their differences aside was quite moving, and heartfelt to watch. Leaning more into dramatic territory as the film goes on, the first half offers some great comedic moments that help keep the tone light, something the second half could have used more of in spite of its dramatic leanings. That being said, a film about a family finding a way to set aside their differences and come together in a time of need, such as to support an ailing parent during their final moments, is something that will more than likely resonate with a large portion of audiences who have found themselves in a similar position at one point or another in their lives.

However, out of the film’s many flaws, Anders’ script proved to be its biggest detriment. His feature debut, the story is not only derivative of other tearjerkers and incredibly predictable, his relative inexperience as a screenwriter can be felt in his handling of the older characters and dialog unlike that of what normal people would say in the same situation. While banking on the emotion of the story to get by, to its credit, featuring undeniably powerful moments of emotion and melancholy at times that are sure to strike a chord, it also leans far too much into melodrama at others, with certain scenes being nothing more than manipulative and disingenuous attempts at manufacturing emotion from audiences.

While suffering from a messy script that isn’t quite on the same level as its impressive cast, for Goodbye June, the directorial debut of Kate Winslet, its good elements more than outweigh the bad ones. Either way, for those who are in the mood for a bit of a change of pace this holiday season and want a tearjerker, as opposed to the usual fare, it will certainly hit the right spot.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Connor Carey

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