Goodbye June

Matt Roush says...

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Kate Winslet, who’s earned an Oscar and two Emmys, would get terrific performances from an A-list cast in her directing debut. What’s less expected is that her son Joe Anders is the writer, basing this poignant film on his grandmother’s (Kate’s mom) battle with cancer in a hospital during her final days. That’s the scenario of Goodbye June, set against the Christmas season as the wry and defiantly unsentimental June (the great Helen Mirren) gathers her fractious family to her bedside, including her disbelieving husband (Timothy Spall), her three daughters — successful Julia (Winslet), bitterly resentful Molly (Andrea Riseborough), hippie-dippie Helen (Toni Collette) — and devoted son Connor (Johnny Flynn). “I make it my duty to make sure people get good goodbyes,” says June’s devoted nurse (Fisayo Akinade). June’s sendoff is memorable indeed, but be sure and have some tissues nearby to be safe.

What's Worth Watching (Dec 24)