A Good Person
Cert: 12A | ★★★✩✩

Written and directed by Zach Braff, the star of the long-running comedy series Scrubs, this understated drama about grief and addiction stars British cinema darling Florence Pugh — who was in a serious relationship with Braff until very recently — as a woman struggling to cope with a recent tragedy.

Years after she is involved in a fatal car crash, we follow Allison (Pugh) as she tries to come to terms with the guilt she feels.

While in recovery for an opioid addiction stemming from injuries sustained in the accident, the young woman forms an unlikely friendship with her former would-be father-in-law, Daniel (Morgan Freeman). Together they attempt to help his granddaughter Ryan (Celeste O’Connor) overcome the loss of her parents.

Although beautifully acted by all involved, Braff’s film is let down by a contrived screenplay and a cliché-laden dialogue that sounds like something we’ve seen and heard a million times before.

A Good Person (4)

Florence Pugh (MGM)

Despite grappling with some interesting ideas about addiction, guilt and grief; A Good Person is perfectly serviceable and completely forgettable.

While there is no denying that Pugh and Freeman are inspired casting as two people attempting to rebuild their lives after a huge loss, there is just not enough here in way of a story to sustain such an undertaking.

Acclaimed Nigerian American actor Chinaza Uche delivers a beautifully sedate performance as Allison’s former fiancé Nathan, while the usually excellent Molly Shannon is completely wasted in a poorly-written part as Pugh’s mother.

Braff, who has directed a number of films and TV shows — including episodes of Ted Lasso — does a stellar job here, but he is sadly let down by a flimsily written screenplay and an unoriginal premise.

A Good Person may not be his best work, but it’s worth watching just to see what he does with poor material. Next time, let’s hope he comes up with a better script.