Playing the lead in an addiction drama has long been shorthand for “I’m a serious actor,” but that’s not something Florence Pugh needs to convince us of, especially not when the drama is as contrived as A Good Person is. Though it has a solid foundation from which to explore worthy subjects — Pugh’s character Allison begins abusing painkillers after accidentally causing the death of two people in a car accident — writer-director Zach Braff overstuffs the film with too many distractingly histrionic happenings for a compelling reflection on guilt and forgiveness to really emerge.
What’s more, any potential A Good Person has is squandered by the film’s frequent and bizarre tonal swerves from tearjerking sincerity to generational comedy, a jarring effect mimicked by the soundtrack’s wild veering from moody melodies to bright piano music in a single cut. Though Pugh does her customary excellent work here, she’s ultimately undermined by all the overlong, transparently manufactured, and downright whiplash-inducing melodrama around her.
Synopsis
Allison's life falls apart following her involvement in a fatal accident. The unlikely relationship she forms with her would-be father-in-law helps her live a life worth living.
Storyline
Reeling from her involvement in a fatal car accident, a young woman falls into opioid addiction while grappling with her guilt.
TLDR
Don't be fooled by the Morgan Freeman narration: A Good Person is not A Good Movie.
What stands out
Though she’s joined by a host of other stellar actors — among them Morgan Freeman as the father of one of the victims and Molly Shannon as Allison’s mother — Pugh is undoubtedly the best thing about A Good Person. While the movie ultimately never transcends the flaws of its writing, it’s undeniable proof of her ability to single-handedly elevate a film out of her gutter, as her performance magics some complexity and sincerity out of a generic and cliché-ridden screenplay.