Charming, well-crafted ‘A Good Person’ is good for the soul
PIPER SAMUELS | STAFF
MARCH 23, 2023 (DailyCal.org)
Better than good, Zach Braff’s “A Good Person” is the seasoned older sibling of his debut film, “Garden State.” With tender hands that feel almost parental, Braff tells a careful yet candid story about a bright young woman who falls victim to America’s opioid epidemic. Beneath its themes of addiction, depression and mourning, the film’s heart circulates kinship, trust and self-worth — three values sure to leave any audience member feeling optimistic about the current state of the world.
Early on, the audience is introduced to fiances Allison (Florence Pugh) and Nathan (Chinaza Uche), two charming young lovebirds who reside in Braff’s hometown of South Orange, New Jersey. Life is dreamy for Allison and Nathan, until one fateful afternoon when Allison takes a drive into the city with Nathan’s sister and her husband. On the way, she glances at her iPhone for a few seconds too long — inadvertently causing a catastrophic car crash, of which she is the lone survivor.
Despite the devastating aftermath of the incident, Braff hardly depicts the moment of impact on screen. The audience’s only visual indicators of the crash are some bursting airbags and a slow-motion shot of glass shattering onto Pugh’s face. After an early screening of the film, Braff explained in a Q&A that the decision to withhold any extravagant collision shots was — in part — budget-related. However, in making this production decision, the director gears the audience’s attention toward what matters most: the recovery. This sequence marks one of many brilliantly crafted cinematic moments in the film.
Initially prescribed to treat Allison’s physical trauma, OxyContin also becomes the survivor’s go-to weapon for coping with mental wounds. Allison breaks things off with Nathan, then tracks down old friends and high school burnouts, begging them for a fix. After a chilling argument with her mother (Molly Shannon) and a treacherous experience with unregulated narcotics, Allison decides to attend her first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)/Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting.
For anyone worried that the cast of “A Good Person” isn’t star-studded enough, Pugh is joined in the remainder of the film by none other than Morgan Freeman. Freeman’s role in the story is twofold; he plays Daniel, the father of Allison’s ex-fiance and his late sister, as well as a recovering addict who just so happens to be a part of Allison’s new AA/NA group. This, then, marks an additional challenge for the struggling protagonist. Amidst the endless cycles of withdrawal, loneliness and relapse, Allison must now fight for the approval and friendship of a man whose daughter she mistakenly killed.
Placing one of the finest actors of the 21st century alongside a touchstone of the 20th century, the casting of “A Good Person” is genius. Despite their vast age difference, it’s clear that Pugh and Freeman are equally empathetic and wise — sharing a genuine understanding of the human condition that cannot be faked, even through their stellar performances.
As the audience learns, Daniel is not without his faults: His battle against alcoholism and new role as his granddaughter’s caretaker have led to some less-than-perfect decisions. Steadfast in its honest portrayal of the ups and downs of recovery, “A Good Person” never ceases to remind its viewers that the healing process is never linear — an adage that proves true for both Allison and Daniel.
With a comforting color palette, a grounded story and a sweet soundtrack that features two Pugh originals, “A Good Person” is undoubtedly high-quality cinema. Although some critics have condemned its dialogue for skewing slightly didactic, the film marks an uplifting deviation from the dozens of disheartening drug-related stories that have become trendy in the past few years.
Like a see-saw, “A Good Person” oscillates between high highs and low lows — never letting one overshadow the other, never losing its balance. The film is feisty yet delicate; bleak yet inspiring; messy yet, somehow, everything seems to fall into place.
Contact Piper Samuels at psamuels@dailycal.org