Everything’s Going to Be Great is a new film that premiered in theaters on June 20th, but released on VOD today. Written by Steven Rogers & directed by Jon S. Baird, the film stars Allison Janney, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Bryan Cranston, Jack Champion, Simon Rex, and Chris Cooper. When they are unexpectedly forced to move in with an estranged relative, the Smart Family must navigate oversized dreams, identity struggles and regional theater in this warmly observant family comedy.
It’s funny how I watched this after Sovereign, when it feels like the two films are on opposites sides of the same coin. Like Nick Offerman, I will watch anything with Bryan Cranston. To my surprise, this one didn’t get much of a release. It was theatrically released last month, but went under the radar. I can see where bigger movies might do better than a smaller movie like this, but smaller indies like this shouldn’t go unnoticed, which is why I am here to talk about it.
When I say that this is like the opposite side of the same coin of Sovereign, I mean that thematically. Where Nick Offerman is a toxic father to his son, Bryan Cranston is the complete opposite, making him the heart and soul of the film. Much like everything else Cranston does, he is great here, along with everyone else, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth being the clear standout in the film.
Giving its messy distribution, I wasn’t too sure if this would be any good, but the first half of the film surprised me and won me over. It takes what you know about your typical family and changes it, making this almost a satire on ridiculous tropes. The humor really does work and there’s even a musical aspect that I found to be charming. It helps us see the world more from these character’s perspective that helps us better understand them.
It’s about halfway through is where the film shows what the film is really going to be about, changing from a comedic to a dark tone just like that. It’s a drastic change to go from laughing and smiling for 45 minutes to feeling sad and serious for the remaining 45 minutes. Ironically, I found the second half to be more relatable. As someone who grew up in Kansas, I could actually understand what the film was trying to say, but I don’t know if that’s going to relate with anyone else.
That does come with the film’s next problem, being that this feels more like an autobiographical film. The first half sort of ropes you into it, but the second half does feel disappointing, because it goes in a different direction. While I don’t mind subverting expectations, changing the overall tone almost never works. The one that comes to mind that’s similar is 2017’s The Book of Henry. Ironically, a film that also stars Jacob Tremblay, an actor that’s in Sovereign. I swear the similarities between the two were unintentional.
By the time the film reaches its conclusion, it does end on a nice note, but it is resolved way too quickly. Given how the first and second half feel like two different movies, I think the film could have been better by separating the film into three separate acts. The third act we get here feels more like a quick epilogue to show where the characters are at. It ends on a nice note, but that build up we felt for these characters quickly wraps up with a snap of a finger. It would have been better to see the third act more fleshed out. For a film that can be satirical, the third act is perhaps its most unrealistic.
As for one other component I wasn’t crazy about was how Simon Rex’s character is added. The guy is insanely talented, but to have him here for a short plot device undermines his talents, especially with where the first act was going. While his character ends up challenging the main characters, I think I was hoping for more of his comedic talents in the latter half of the film.
Overall, Everything’s Going to Be Great has plenty to offer between its themes, performances, and comedy. However, viewers may be blindsided with where the second half takes them. It’s good in its own right, but it’s completely jarring to the comedic first half. The performances alone definitely makes this one worth checking out. If films like this can’t get a good theatrical distribution, I just wish it could release on a streaming service over just having a VOD release. Considering it was released by Lionsgate, I can’t imagine this getting the viewership it deserves. My guess is that it will eventually release on Starz.
VERDICT: 3/5 (Good)
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