GOODBYE JUNE
Starring: Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, Timothy Spall, Fisayo Akinade, Stephen Merchant, and Helen Mirren
Director: Kate Winslet
ROBERT
The death of a parent is wrought with emotional pitfalls, especially when intermingled with everyday life’s struggles and interfamily turmoil. Goodbye, June never allows you to hide from the impending doom and crushing weight of the inevitable as you spend the entire film with the Cheshire family in the hospital without respite. In her directorial debut, Kate Winslet composes scenes that exemplify both the emptiness and the chaos within the characters at any given moment, making every shot meaningful. The performances sell the realistic gravity of June’s (Helen Mirren) situation and how everyone tries to cope. Do not skimp on the tissues.
BODE
Given the number of great filmmakers Kate Winslet has worked with throughout her career, it’s no surprise that she would step behind the camera herself for Goodbye June. Though it can come off a bit too saccharine for its own good (especially as it concludes), there’s still an honest core in its depiction of how a dysfunctional family deals with the impending loss of their mother that manages to shine through with realized performances, editing (by Lucia Zucchetti) that creates an intimate feel, and a gentle score from composer Ben Harlan. Decent as far as directorial debuts go.
