Review of the film Everything’s Going to be Great

Cinema’s summer season typically doesn’t showcase much outside the realms of action packed blockbusters, superhero franchises, and family oriented offerings. These genres bat cleanup for the box-office bounty during the dog days. But every so often, you come across a diamond in a sea of glass. Understated and unaffected, director Jon S. Baird’s (Stan & Ollie) comedic look on a family struggling for stability amidst the regional theatre industry chases no trends and traces no stencils. With hilarious dialogue and honest writing for a well-chosen cast led by Academy Award-winner Allison Janney (I, Tonya) Emmy Award-winner Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), the film raises the question “what is a normal life?” and answers sincerely. 

Clever dialogue keeps the pace flowing

“You’re a weirdo, it’s not your fault” Buddy Smart (Cranston) assures his youngest son Lester (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Son of a Critch) after a disciplinary hearing with his middle school principal. Les’s battle to belong follows him like a shadow, but helping in his parents’ the theatre is where everything make sense. While enthusiastic and invested in the family business, matriarch Macy Smart’s (Janney) concern borders on fear, living curtain call to curtain call, just making ends meet. Unlike Les’ trouble fitting in at school, older brother Derrick (Jack Champion, Freaky Tales) is out of place within his own family. Feeling untalented and resenting theatre, he holds football aspirations while seeking purpose from the company of girls. 

If the picture arrives genuine and sincere, it’s because the roots of the plot are. Writer Steven Rogers’father produced regional theatre himself, and Rogers’ wanted to explore that world on screen. Baird’s own parents’ love of theatre helped keep him in tune with the story. Just as difficult it can be to find acceptance and identity within community, see the parralell in finding success and respect in the arts, something the Smarts know too well. When an opportunity arises that forces them to uproot to New Jersey, but could guarantee a five year run in Milwaukee, the gamble isn’t unfamiliar, but this roll of the dice risks all they have. Fear of the unknown occupies Macy’s mind while the prospects and gratification dominate Buddy’s vision. 

Character development enhances the plot

With Chris Cooper and Simon Rex joining the ensemble, each character is composed of qualities we share, admire, despise, and sympathize with. Much like the role that snatched her an Oscar in I, Tanya, Macy is flawed, and Janney’s performance evokes disappointment and frustration yet still draws understanding and respect. Cranston hasn’t been this good since his meth makin’ days in Albuquerque. Buried in the character, Buddy is a man immersed in his art, in love with his family, and blind to everything else. You kind of wish he was your father. 

Trim and concise, not a minute of the run time is wasted or pointless. Just as fortune finally looks in the family’s direction, a disparaging secret emerges as the sticky Jenga piece that could bring the whole thing down. Comedic in overall tone, the film is tragically layered, visceral, and relatable, augmenting the story without souring or eroding the whimsical element. It reminds us that sad things are going to happen in life, but a sense of humor is a healing power, and the ability to dream opens new worlds to experience.

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