‘The Good Half’ Review: Nick Jonas Is The Only Surprise In A Formulaic Indie – Tribeca Film Festival
Sometimes it feels as though A.I. is already here, given the number of films resembling Garden State that pop up on the festival circuit every year. Robert Schwartzman’s The Good Half is only the latest, and his attempt to out-emo Zach Braff’s legacy film falls disappointingly short, given that his last Tribeca appearance was with the surreal and underrated comedy The Argument (2020), which channeled Charlie Kaufman in the story of a couple whose obsession with a petty fight spirals into absurdity. The Good Half, however, mostly serves as a decent vehicle for Nick Jonas, who seems to making a play to be the new Adam Driver, which is not as far-fetched as it might sound.
It starts with a flashback, as our hero, Renn Wheeland (Jonas), recalls the traumatic moment in his childhood when his free-spirited mother Lily (Elisabeth Shue) absent-mindedly abandoned him during a trip to the shopping mall.
It starts with a flashback, as our hero, Renn Wheeland (Jonas), recalls the traumatic moment in his childhood when his free-spirited mother Lily (Elisabeth Shue) absent-mindedly abandoned him during a trip to the shopping mall.
- 6/13/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s a scene early in Robert Schwartzman’s The Good Half that encapsulates why the film, despite its good intentions, struggles to work. Renn (Nick Jonas), a 28-year-old writer based in Los Angeles, has returned to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. He’s standing in the kitchen of his father’s home (his parents were divorced) when his dad, Darren, (Matt Walsh) stumbles upon him looking for a drink. They pour each other some tequila and get down to the awkward business of confronting their emotions.
Darren is the kind of father who runs to the internet for answers. He’s searched the web for tips on how to console loved ones in the wake of a loss and repeats the generic lessons verbatim. “I feel like I’m failing you,” Darren says when he realizes the clichés aren’t helping his son. “I feel like I should be quoting Thoreau.
Darren is the kind of father who runs to the internet for answers. He’s searched the web for tips on how to console loved ones in the wake of a loss and repeats the generic lessons verbatim. “I feel like I’m failing you,” Darren says when he realizes the clichés aren’t helping his son. “I feel like I should be quoting Thoreau.
- 6/12/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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