Common Sense Media Review
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Family drama has one-sided anti-euthanasia message.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
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Where to Watch
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That Good Night
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THAT GOOD NIGHT, Ralph (John Hurt), an elderly famous screenwriter, arranges his own death after the diagnosis of a terminal illness, but has a change of heart after a second chance at life.
Is It Any Good?
The story of an old man at the end of his life -- the film prophetically proved to be Hurt's last -- should be a guaranteed tearjerker. But That Good Night is a movie so focused on its moral message that it fails to make room for any genuine emotion. Hurt plays Ralph, a grumpy, mean-spirited man who decides to end his own life after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Then Charles Dance appears as some kind of angel, and just like that Ralph is a changed man and suddenly life is great. For such an incredibly complex subject, this one-sided, fairy-tale portrayal comes across as very simplistic.
There's a further tonal shift when it comes to the equally delicate subject of abortion. When Ralph learns that his son Michael (Max Brown) is to become a father, Ralph immediately offers to pay for an abortion. When he's told no, he's suddenly the world's happiest grandfather-to-be. This lack of consistency and sudden gear changes all make for rather ham-fisted and simplistic messaging: Euthanasia is bad. Abortion is bad. The result is a disappointing swan song for Hurt and a movie that rarely looks like anything other than a glossy health insurance commercial.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how euthanasia is portrayed in That Good Night. What makes Ralph change his mind? Do you think a person has the right to choose when and how they end their life?
The movie deals with some complex subjects. Do you think it handles them sensitively? Is the movie balanced in its approach to these subjects?
This was John Hurt's final film -- does the movie have a bigger emotional impact knowing he died soon after making it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 3, 2020
- Cast : John Hurt , Sofia Helin , Max Brown
- Director : Eric Styles
- Studio : Trinity Creative Partnership
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 30, 2020
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