‘Everything’s Going to be Great’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Opening in theaters on June 20th is ‘Everything’s Going to be Great,’ which chronicles the ups-and-downs of a family who (mostly) work behind the scenes in a local Ohio theatre.
Directed by Jon S. Baird (‘Filth’), the film stars Bryan Cranston (‘The Studio’), Allison Janney (‘The Help’), Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (‘Pinocchio’), Jack Champion (‘Avatar: The Way of Water’) and Chris Cooper (‘American Beauty’)
Related Article: ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ is Awkwardly Hilarious High-Level Filmmaking
Initial Thoughts
The sort of small-scale, yet big-hearted comedy drama that looks to carve out space among the bigger movies at the box office, ‘Everything’s Going to be Great’ looks to mostly draw attention from its two leads and a quirky blend of coming-of-age misadventures, family tension and, just to mix things up, visions of long-dead entertainment figures.
It’s something a little different from director Jon S. Baird, who is better known for the more vulgar likes of police comedy ‘Filth’, but has certainly dipped into theatrics before via his biopic ‘Stan & Ollie.’
Script and Direction
Scriptwriter Steven Rogers has been cranking out screenplays for decades –– his resume stretches back to the 1990s likes of ‘Hope Floats’ and ‘Stepmom’ and his most recent produced screenplay was 2017’s ‘I, Tonya’.
With all that experience, you might have hoped for something a little more solid and unique from his latest, which, while it is far from a failure, meanders along through some mildly entertaining moments but never really seems to come alive. Which is disappointing for a movie about characters whose lives are mostly lived in theatrical fashion.
Bumbling along as patriarch Buddy (Bryan Cranston) struggles and schemes to score a contract at a new bigger theatre venue, it’s also partly focused on youngest son Lester (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), who has his own dreams of stage stardom, but must first figure out more basics aspects of life, such as fitting in at middle school.
Older brother Derrick (Jack Champion), meanwhile, has his own issues –– he’d prefer to live a more normal life, comprised of playing football and dating girls, and is sick of having to perform in musicals.
Then there’s Macy (Allison Janney), who is really hoping things change for the family, but worries that she doesn’t have the same enthusiasm for theatre that her husband does, and is turning more and more to religion to find comfort.
I won’t spoil the big change that happens about a third of the way through the film, but it does at least spark some interesting, dramatic material for the characters, even the narrative doesn’t quite leave itself enough road to deal with everything effectively.
As director, Baird mostly stays out of the way of the performances; aside from the occasional drop in from deceased creative people who offer advice to Lester from the great beyond, it’s a largely straightforward movie, visually.
He does decent work coaxing good performances out of the younger cast in particular, but little stands out.
Cast and Performances
As patriarch Buddy Smart, Cranston goes all in on the quirky, enthusiastic but humane theatre producer whose big Broadway dreams have been curtailed but whose spirit is undamped. It’s a fun performance, and he works well off of Janney and the two actors playing his sons. Even if his bushy mustache is doing half the work for him.
As Macy, Buddy’s slightly more tamped-down wife, Janney’s always good at finding nuance in a role such as this, and when Macy moves more into the spotlight, she brings some depth of feeling and extra comedy levels to the part.
Playing Lester Smart, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth has a few more levels to access, including the teen’s conflict between his theatrical side and the realities of young life in 1980s small-town America. He’s solid in the role and never showy, even when Lester chooses to be.
Jack Champion manages to stay away from most of the jock/big brother cliches, and finds a good vibe with Ainsworth for a convincing sibling dynamic.
Chris Cooper is fine as Macy’s brother, who the family has to move in with at one point, but he’s not given as much to do as he might.
Elsewhere, Simon Rex has a good supporting part as Kyle, an actor who starts working for Buddy and Macy but causes some friction within the family.
As for the ghostly visions of the likes of Tallulah Bankhead (Laura Benanti), Ruth Gordon (Chick Reid) and particularly Noël Coward (Mark Caven), they’re fine, but make little impact despite the talented people in the parts.
Final Thoughts
While the movie is unlikely to burn up the box office or enter the cultural consciousness, ‘Everything’s Going to be Great’ is a decently funny and touching, if fairly slight, comedy drama.
A fine cast and some good moments don’t really add up to a truly memorable movie.
IoaBlP6kwgjV3HMsjesBt5What’s the story of ‘Everything’s Going to be Great’?
As the Smart family wrestle with their over-sized dreams, they come to realize that the struggle to find your voice and your place in the world can happen no matter what stage of life you’re in.
Who is in the cast of ‘Everything’s Going to be Great’?
- Allison Janney as Macy Smart
- Bryan Cranston as Buddy Smart
- Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Lester Smart
- Jack Champion as Derrick Smart
- Chris Cooper as Walter
- Simon Rex as Kyle
- Jessica Clement as Selena Roach
- Mark Caven as Noël Coward
- Laura Benanti as Tallulah Bankhead
Other Movies and TV Shows Directed by Jon S. Baird:
- ‘Cass’ (2008)
- ‘Filth’ (2013)
- ‘Babylon’ (2014)
- ‘Vinyl’ (2016)
- ‘I’m Dying Up Here’ (2017)
- ‘Stan & Ollie’ (2018)
- ‘Tetris’ (2023)
