DON'T SAY GOOD LUCK
Starring: Sunny Sandler, Melanie Lynskey, Max Greenfield, Stephanie Beatriz, Matan Friedman, Eitan Friedman, Scarlett Estevez, Emma McNulty, Jack Champion, Elyse Bell, Bebe Neuwirth, and Steve Buscemi
Director: Julia Hart
ROBERT
Despite my feelings on Roommates earlier this year, my guard was up for the Happy Madison-produced Don’t Say Good Luck. My defenses are now down because the Sandler acting tree is stout; Sunny Sandler’s Sophie is as true to a theater teenager’s experience as conveyed. While the drama wasn’t always as gripping, the film snuck in some real gut punches and manifested some cascading tears. Melanie Lynskey is always underrated, but the surprise was the steadfastness and poise of Max Greenfield. It was earnest and thoughtful and ultimately uplifting despite some direness. If you're on the fence, give this a callback to win you over outright.
KATIE
Don't Say Good Luck is a superficially emotional drama starring Sunny Sandler as awkward theatre kid Soph. Unfortunately, I didn’t find her performance at all convincing, and the quality of her singing and acting is sadly not good enough to justify a leading role like this. The film is persistently overly emotional and weepy, but the clunky script and lack of chemistry between any of the characters make it feel insincere. Melanie Lynskey, playing Soph’s mother Elizabeth, is great as always, but her relationship with her daughter — the proposed heart of the film — feels inauthentic and clumsy. Overall, Don't Say Good Luck falls flat.
