Page 14 - aruba-today-20230323

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 23 March 2023
Despair in Jersey in Zach Braff’s ‘A Good Person’

All filmmakers should be ymous meeting as Daniel.
so lucky to have Florence She tries to flee, but he en-
Pugh in their movies. She courages her to stay and
so consistently delivers the the two develop a tenuous
best version of whatever friendship leading to some
she’s handed whether nice moments between
good, mediocre or down- Pugh and Freeman, who
right preposterous that has his own world of regret
you may even start to won- and guilt to grapple with.
der if the quality of the film This is borderline believable,
around her really matters in but things really go off the
the end. It does, of course, rails (there is also a forced
but her performances model train set metaphor)
make whatever she’s in dif- when Allison and Ryan de-
ficult to dismiss wholly. velop their own ill-advised
In Zach Braff’s “ A Good relationship.
Person,” Pugh is a New Jer- “A Good Person” at times
sey 20-something named feels overstuffed with mis-
Allison whose life is upend- ery and despair, and oddly
ed in a flash. On her way decides to fast-forward
to try on wedding dresses through the recovery part
in the city, she’s involved with a montage and a
in an accident that leaves This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Florence Pugh, left, and Morgan song. There are cliches
her future sister- and broth- Freeman in a scene from “A Good Person.” (woman on the edge cut-
er-in-law dead and her ad- Associated Press ting her hair in the mirror)
dicted to opioid painkillers. and curious choices (not
Braff wrote the part specifi- he wanted to write about Allison is just one part of the is worlds better than “Life nearly enough is made of
cally for her. The two dated grief, which was the birth equation. The other is her Itself,” but there are some a statutory rape incident)
for three years, a relation- of “A Good Person,” an en- fiance Nathan (Chinaza similarities in how it strives and a very contrived cli-
ship that was scrutinized by semble piece about trag- Uche) and what remains of for cosmic significance and max. Sometimes it feels like
many onlookers for their 21- edy, mourning, addiction, his family: His 10-years-so- ultimate tearjerking within maybe this is a story that
year age difference, which forgiveness and people ber, Vietnam veteran, cop a construct that the film could have been better
she often defended. Last who keep messing up de- father Daniel (Morgan Free- tries to sell as authentically served by a series than a
year, they quietly broke up. spite their best intentions. man) and his orphaned specific. In execution, it’s a too-long feature (it’s telling
In the past several years, It takes him back to a fa- teenage niece Ryan (Ce- bit more strained and con- that I haven’t even men-
Braff has suffered significant miliar area suburban New leste O’Connor). What trived. tioned that Allison’s mom
losses his sister, his father, Jersey and themes (aim- would be a normal teen- Allison is a good charac- is played by Molly Shannon
one of his best friends. He lessness and prescription age rebellion has curdled ter for an actor. She’s one or that her AA sponsor is
is an actor and filmmaker painkillers), but broadens under the unfathomable that was clearly written out Zoe Lister-Jones).
who has directed only four the demographics and rage and sorrow of having of love for the woman he And yet there are enough
features, including his de- scope. And it is so earnestly suddenly lost both parents. knew would be playing her, moments of grace and
but “Garden State,” which done, with genuinely good Daniel is out of his depth allowing Pugh to cry, to sing threads that defy the obvi-

however it may have aged writing and performances, trying to care for her, while (the Velvet Underground’s ous cliche to keep you in-
19 years later was promising that it seems unduly cruel Nathan is largely absent. “A “After Hours”), to be funny terested, even if you’re not
and captured a moment to nitpick. But, even after Good Person” seems to be- high and depressing high, wholly buying or invested
for a specific white hipster reading interviews and long to a uniquely Dan Fo- to be delusional and selfish in every character. Who
set. Now in his mid-40s and Braff’s statements, it’s still gelman-esque subgenre of in one moment and relat- doesn’t want to be told that
a lifetime away from sitcom a bit baffling why, with all hyper sincere melodrama able and true in the next. you’re never in too deep to
fame and indie-darling de- his lived experience, he that sometimes clicks (“This When Allison finally decides start over, to apologize, to
buts, Braff still has that spark has chosen to tell this story Is Us”) and other times does to seek help, she ends up at forgive or to be honest with
and promise. This time, about these people. not (“Life Itself”). Braff’s film the same Alcoholics Anon- yourself and others?q

Sly Stone book to be released through new Questlove imprint

NEW YORK (AP) — Quest- by Ben Greenman and of mind to become Sylves- love and Greenman.
love has his own book im- will track Stone’s rise to ter Stewart again to tell the “I have been writing books
print and is launching it the heights of stardom in true story of Sly Stone. for over a decade, so
with a memoir by one of the late 1960s to his long It’s been a wild ride and it seemed like a natural
the world’s most influential decline and virtual disap- hopefully my fans enjoy it step to publish them too,”
and enigmatic musicians, pearance from the music too.” Questlove said in a state-
Sly Stone, leader of Sly and scene. Other books planned for ment.
the Family Stone. “For as long as I can re- the AUWA imprint include A Grammy-winning musi-
“Thank You (Falettinme Be member folks have been “Handbook for the Revo- cian and creator of the Os-
Mice Elf Agin),” named for asking me to tell my story,” lution: The Essential Guide car-winning documentary
the Sly and the Family Stone the 80-year-old Stone, who for Workplace Organizing,” “Summer of Soul,” Quest-
hit, will be released Oct. 17 was born Sylvester Stew- by Amazon Labor Union love is also planning a film
Rock star Sylvester “Sly” Stone through Questlove’s AUWA art, said in a statement activist Derrick Palmer and about Stone, whose other
of Sly and the Family Stone, Books imprint, part of Mac- Wednesday. “I wasn’t “Hip-Hop Is History,” a chro- hits include “Dance to
April 1972. millan Publishers. ready. nology of hip-hop’s first 50 the Music” and “Everyday
Associated Press The memoir is co-written I had to be in a new frame years co-written by Quest- People.”q