GOODBYE JUNE is Kate Winslet’s directorial debut. It is seeped within, the, what I call, the business of dying. There is a timeline to death. This particular one took viewers through one argumentative, fractured family and their journey to come together. It is a tear-jerker, but well-handled so as not to devastate anyone during the holiday season. Thank goodness. This is because the script is clearly handled by acting experts.
Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Johnny Flynn, Toni Collette, Andrea Riseborough, and Kate Winslet are the story tellers. They each give viewers rich layers filled with years of both joy and disappointment. IT is the same in most families when facing end of life decisions. Who will step up? Who can’t face or deal with the everyday decisions and setbacks? Who are the singers, the ones who still find light during dark days? It is all here in GOODBYE JUNE. Having gone through these moments myself, I can say it reeks of truths. I don’t believe dying is as difficult as it is for those who will go on living. Gentle snow will fall to remind us all how fleeting is one’s life.
GOODBYE JUNE is about one, wise soul that touches everyone around. It is about connectivity and forgiveness. It’s a reminder that something’s don’t matter in the end. Yes, it is predictable and it could have dragged more emotional arcs out of every family member. But it is also a solid film about a somber topic. Nicely done Kate. Not everyone would have chosen this for their first solo venture.
GOODBYE JUNE is streaming on Netflix.
