3/24 Movie Trip

Paul McGuire Grimes, from Paul’s Trip to the Movies, gives us his take on the return of Ted Lasso and a new movie, A Good Person.

TED LASSO Season 3 (AppleTV+)

The hit AppleTV+ series Ted Lasso is back for a third, and possibly last, season. The stakes continue to be really high for AFC Richmond coach, Ted, who also suffers from aniexty and mental health issues. He’s at a crossroads personally, as we see him wave goodbye to his son at the airport and now faces issues at work as all odds are betting against Richmond placing them dead last for the season. Former Independent journalist, Trent Crimm, wants to write a tell-all on the team, which could be a good or bad thing. Rebecca is in a bidding war with her ex, Rupert, over a potential hot head new player who could shake up the team. Nate is the new coach of West Hamm after turning his back on Richmond and knows he’s in way over this head. Last but not least, Roy and Keely are dealing with the fallout of their relationship.

-Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernandez, Nick Mohammad

-The first two episodes of the season are now streaming with new episodes releasing every Wednesday

-The show’s humor hasn’t skipped a beat. There are fantastic deep cut pop culture references, Roy Kent outbursts, and Ted Lasso quips. These characters are still rooted in the traits that you’ve come to love and adore.

-The cast works so well together. You feel that brotherhood and the comradery between them, which amplifies the themes of the show.

-The show has always excelled in themes of positivity and joy, and this season they’re really leaning into the power of teamwork and togetherness to remind the guys that they have to believe in one another and want the best for each other.

-Season 2 dealt with men’s mental health and anxiety, and it seems like Season 3 will dig into this further as we see Ted missing his son and having to choose between family and work.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

A GOOD PERSON (in theaters)

Zach Braff has proven himself time and time again in the world of comedy, but now he’s tackling opioid addiction and alcoholism in his new film, A Good Person. Braff is behind the camera writing and directing the film. It stars Florence Pugh as Allison whose life is turned upside down after a fatal car accident that killed the two passengers she was driving. They were soon to be her in-laws and they were wedding dress shopping for her. A year passes and Allison is not in a good place. She’s become addicted to opioids and is no longer with her fiancé, Nathan. The other story in the film follows Ryan, a young girl whose parents died in the accident. She now lives with her grandfather, Daniel, who is a recovering alcoholic. One day Allison sees Daniel at an AA meeting complicating their roads to recovery as they navigate a new relationship of healing through their connected past trauma.

Starring: Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Celeste O’Connor, Molly Shannon

–A Good Person feels like an ambitious project for Zach Braff, who is tackling a hefty subject in his fourth film as a director. At first it seems like we were getting two different narratives related back to the car accident, but they do eventual merge together in this lesson on grief and addiction.

-Braff uses Morgan Freeman’s gentle and recognizable voice to open the film as he muses over a model train set and the city it surrounds. It’s a metaphor that comes back as the character of Daniel has spent years building this set in his basement.

-Braff’s job is tricky as he uses the very topical and sensitive subject of opioid addiction and alcoholism drive his film knowing how he talks about it and its relation to grief could turn others off.

-For me the film always felt grounded thanks to its central performances from Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. Pugh always felt present and bluntly honest in portraying Allison’s recovery. It’s never linear or progressing in a positive manner. It’s rocky, to say the least, as we see Allison making bad choices or trying to take the easy way out.

-We’re reminded that Allison was never doing anything wrong behind the wheel. She wasn’t an addict before the incident, and Braff showcases how addiction can grab hold of anyone. We haven’t seen Morgan Freeman in a role like this in quite some time. I was quite moved watching how his character is tested by the bottle time and time again despite his years of sobriety.

-Braff and his actors made these characters feel very real in the messy state we find them in. I was moved by the unlikely friendship that is formed by these two characters and the connection they have over the lifelong journey of recovery.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS