Goodbye June Review: Kate Winslet’s Directorial Debut Is An Underwhelming Christmas Drama

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It’s always interesting when a well-known actor tries directing, and Kate Winslet is now doing just that. While she’s been a popular actress for years and recently started producing, “Goodbye June” marks her directorial debut. This film is a chance for her to share her unique vision as a filmmaker, going beyond just her work as an actress. Regardless of the film’s details, many will be curious to see how she approaches telling this story.

She naturally directs like an actor, focusing on showcasing her talented cast and giving them opportunities to shine. However, the story itself isn’t compelling enough to make this work. The film feels weighed down by its serious themes, becoming slow and ultimately failing to be either enjoyable or deeply impactful.

Goodbye June’s Collection Of Talent Is Undone By A Simplistic Script

The film Goodbye June opens on a December morning with June (Helen Mirren) collapsing in her kitchen, struggling to breathe. Her youngest son, Connor (Johnny Flynn), who lives with her and his father Bernie (Timothy Spall), calls for help, bringing together their estranged family. June’s daughters, Julia (Winslet) and Molly (Andrea Riseborough), arrive quickly, some bringing their children with them. Their older sister, Helen (Toni Collette), travels from Germany and arrives last.

June has been bravely battling cancer for some time, and now doctors believe the end is near. She likely won’t survive past the next few days, and may not live to see Christmas. Her illness has brought all her children together in the hospital, forcing them to confront long-standing family issues and, hopefully, resolve them before she passes away so they can say a meaningful goodbye.

This family is a classic example of dysfunction, almost to the point of feeling stereotypical. Each member has their own struggles, especially Julia and Molly, who can’t seem to get along. However, the characters feel overly defined by their roles – Connor is always anxious, Julia is always in control, Molly is always rebellious, and Helen is always a bit lost. They seem to exist solely within the context of their family, lacking individual depth.

Sometimes, characters in movies don’t need to be fully developed—they’re fictional, after all, and can be simple if it serves the story. A straightforward approach could have even enhanced the emotional impact of a typical holiday family drama. However, Goodbye June aims for something more authentic. Its realistic style, cinematography, and detailed setting suggest a desire for genuine emotional truth, and that’s where these characters—initially promising—end up feeling overly simplified.

A talented cast isn’t enough to save this film. The director, Winslet, lets her actors lead, focusing the camera on their performances rather than elaborate visuals. However, each actor is given a single, defining trait to portray, and the film asks us to focus on that trait. As a result, the characters start to feel like exaggerated stereotypes, which doesn’t work for the emotional depth the movie is trying to achieve.

It’s not fair to criticize any particular acting performance or Kate Winslet’s directing, because the real problem is the script. The story and characters overcome obstacles too easily and predictably, which makes everything feel flat. The movie becomes overly confident and, as a result, the two-hour length starts to drag.

While not perfect, the film has good intentions and some genuinely touching moments. A more visually dynamic style could have improved it, as the few times the director focuses on framing shots do add a nice touch. However, the film suffers from a fundamental weakness that’s hard to ignore. If it wasn’t so slow-paced, it would be perfectly acceptable holiday entertainment, but it’s easy to give up on it when streaming, and many viewers likely will.

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2025-12-11 20:22