Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dad and young son grieve a loss; alcoholism, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
In Good Hands 2
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
As IN GOOD HANDS 2 opens, 8-year-old Can (Ert Ege Ak) is mourning the loss of his beloved mother. She died the year before, as covered in the prior film, In Good Hands. In her quest to leave Can with a loving caretaker, she married Firat (Kaan Urgancioglu), who later learns he is Can's actual father. It's not clear if the boy knows this and through most of the film he calls Firat by his first name while Firat calls the child "Boss." Firat, who doesn't seem to work yet lives in an enormous house with a pool, has taken to heavy drinking, drunk driving, and getting into fights. Without a pesky job, he seems to have time to pick his kid up from school and do fun projects. Nevertheless, he leaves the boy with a friend most nights while he goes out drinking. He keeps promising the boy he will quit, then disappoints him by drinking again. They meet Sezen (Melisa Asli Pamuk) and she, too, has a secret heartbreak, revealed as the three become close.
Is It Any Good?
In Good Hands 2 has its tear-jerking moments, but none rescue the otherwise meandering story from the endless clichés that have all been snatched and repurposed from other, better movies. Almost everything in the plot revolves around the fact that a father gets drunk just about every night to the point of passing out, promises his son he will quit, and then gets drunk again. This is treated as if it is a minor plot point but in fact this is a movie about alcoholism and nothing in it indicates the filmmakers learned enough about alcoholism to say anything useful on the subject. It often feels as if the filmmakers are missing their own point.
Other things are also missed. At one point, it seems that a scar runs down Sezen's back, and it even seems that Firat has seen it, yet it's never discussed. Such sloppy moments characterize a messy movie that has "secrets" that are easy to guess long before they are revealed. This feels like an unnecessary and lesser rehash using story and characters from the earlier movie. It all adds up to a disappointing we've-seen-this-all-before beginning, middle, and end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how difficult it is to lose loved ones. When young Can tries to build a time machine to reach his mom in the past, do you it's a healthy way of dealing with loss? Why or why not?
How does the movie represent alcoholism? Does it make it seem as if it's easy to quit drinking? Does it suggest quitting is simply a willpower problem?
Can's dad keeps promising he won't drink anymore and then breaks his promises. How does that set Can up to view his dad?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 23, 2024
- Cast : Kaan Urgancioglu , Melisa Asli Pamuk , Mert Ege Ak
- Director : Ketche Hakan Kirvavac
- Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 28, 2024
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