Is Dan Levy the new Nancy Meyers? Both writers/directors are adept at crafting cozy idyllic worlds and effortlessly warm intimacy in their work. Both fill their scenes with loveable characters, tender romance, and a snug affluence that envelops the viewer like an oversized cashmere turtleneck. During the peak of the pandemic, viewers sought solace in Levy’s gentle and hilarious Schitt’s Creek, a comfort watch that captured a huge audience. Now, Levy makes his feature directorial debut with Netflix’s Good Grief, a tearjerker dramedy about a young widower grappling with unexpected grief as his friends rally around him.
Marc (Levy) is married to handsome, gregarious author Oliver (Luke Evans) who penned a successful Harry Potter-style series for which Marc did the illustrations. They live a lavish life in an elegant London townhouse and everything seems nearly perfect until Oliver dies in a car accident. Marc is then plunged into grief, where his two best friends support him: boozy commitmentphobe Sophie (Ruth Negga) and ex-boyfriend turned best friend Thomas (Himesh Patel).
The co-dependent trio soldiers on through CrossFit workouts and art openings, encountering over-the-top performance artists (Emma Corrin) and self-obsessed actresses (Kaitlyn Dever). And while there are plenty of tearjerking moments, the film doesn’t drown you in grief. There is heartfelt banter, amusing moments, and Levy’s comedic charisma to keep things buoyant.
As the first anniversary of Oliver’s death approaches, Marc discovers that Oliver was not only planning to leave him for another man but had secretly bought a pied-à-terre in Paris. Marc then takes his friends on a party weekend to Paris to scope out the apartment, without telling them what really happened. The weekend becomes a reckoning as the friends confront long-simmering feuds and harsh truths about one another.
The film is lovingly shot with gorgeous cinematography of London and Paris. And the performances feel authentic despite the often overwritten dialogue. Levy packs the cast with talented performers, including moving turns from Celia Imrie as Marc’s lawyer and David Bradley as Oliver’s dad. Levy excels at crafting intimate, romantic moments, which are on full display when Marc meets charming Parisian Theo (Arnaud Valois). Good Grief offers a lighthearted look at the nuances of grief, and what grows around the hole left inside us when our loved ones leave. While it never reaches the emotional or comedic heights of Schitt’s Creek, Levy proves himself to be a singular talent.
(featured image: Chris Baker/Netflix)
