Bryan Cranston’s best movies and TV shows offer a wide array for the talented actor. His roles in drama TV series like Breaking Bad and Your Honor, alongside comedies like Malcolm in the Middle, make him a strong lead no matter the genre. The same goes for Allison Janney, whose work on TV shows like The West Wing and The Diplomat is complemented by comedy films like Breaking News in Yuba County. Both actors are able to flex elements of their versatile careers in the meaningful story of Everything is Going to Be Great.
Directed by Jon S. Baird (Tetris) and written by Steven Rogers (I,Tonya), the film is set in 1989 and sees Cranston and Janney play Buddy and Macy Smart in a small Ohio town. Buddy is an aspiring stage director whose dreams have influenced the course of his family’s life, inspiring his youngest son, Lester (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), but pushing away his oldest, Derrick (Jack Champion). However, when the family is given a major opportunity that could bolster Buddy’s career, they head off to New Jersey to pursue their new life.
Everything’s Going To Be Great Has Some Inspirational Messages About Dreams
There’s A Grounded Reality To The Way It Approaches The Subject
The characters in Everything’s Going to be Great are the true standouts, with every member of the family having a chance to shine. Cranston steals the show with his endearing Buddy, whose goal of a fulfilling life is endearing, but also sometimes hard on his family. His pᴀssion for the stage elevates the family drama because of his enduring hope for the future. Janney’s Macy balances this with optimistic yet realistic expectations, contrasting her husband’s straightforward hope by casting doubt and realistic expectations on their future. Yet, despite these conflicting viewpoints, their characters mesh well with one another.
However, the real highlight of the film is Ainsworth as Lester, with the bulk of the narrative emphasizing the influence his father’s pᴀssion has had on his life. The movie feels like Boyhood meets ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Poets Society, mixing coming-of-age drama with a young man learning about his pᴀssions from an unexpected mentor. His story is fortified by comedic hallucinations of deceased stage actors, whose advice acts as funny non-sequiturs that help bolster the themes of the film. Derrick too gets plenty of interesting development, though Champion isn’t given as bright a spotlight as the rest of the family.
As the family’s life goes through ups and downs in their pursuit of happiness, the harsh light of reality makes it so things don’t always go the way they’re intended to.
It should also be noted that, despite the coming-of-age movie focusing on young characters, Everything’s Going to Be Great is rated R. The film thrives by grounding its story, approaching its themes through a realistic lens. While there’s some inspirational lessons about dreams and pᴀssions here, it doesn’t stop the cold grip of reality from settling in, sometimes with some hard-to-handle results. This messiness is where the movie hits its stride, offering much-appreciated honesty about the nature of pursuing happiness and the obstacles that can get in the way.
The film’s story and characters are equally elevated by how they weave together with its themes. As the family’s life goes through ups and downs in their pursuit of happiness, the harsh light of reality makes it so things don’t always go the way they’re intended to. The film’s unwillingness to shy away from very real hardships can occasionally clash with its comedic, light-hearted beginning. But by using Lester and Buddy’s stageplay dreams as the lens, it emphasizes the importance of realistic expectations that can sometimes be difficult to swallow.
The Drama Took Some Time To Fully Balance Its Multiple Character Stories
A Major Event Halfway Through Powerfully Embodies The Film’s Themes
The only element of the film that drags it down is the occasional inability to fully balance its multiple character storylines. All four members of the family are going through their own difficulties as Buddy’s career opportunity upends their lives. Their different reactions get enough screen time to matter, but it’s occasionally muddied by a lack of a focal point. There’s a stretch of the film where Lester doesn’t have a prominent role, despite being the previously established protagonist. While it’s unavoidable given how many prominent characters the movie juggles, it can occasionally distract from the central narrative.
There’s also a moment halfway through the movie that is highly important to the narrative structure, delivering on the powerful layers of realism Everything’s Going to Be Great tackles. It causes some of the film’s back half to feel circular, with many of the important scenes saved for the final 20 minutes or so. This crawl isn’t without plenty of memorable moments, though, especially highlighting Janney’s onscreen talent. It also serves as a deliberate way of tapping into the movie’s themes, even if it requires a slower pace for the plot to make it happen.
With a bold story that takes a realistic approach to dreams and the pursuit of happiness, Everything’s Going to Be Great harbors a genuinely heartfelt story that doesn’t pull its punches. The approach is admirable, even if it’s messy sometimes. By reflecting the difficulties of life with the hope that comes from one’s pᴀssion, this film does a great job at emphasizing how, even in the face of insurmountable adversity, pᴀssion can triumph over even the toughest of times.
