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Everything’s Going to Be Great Earns Mixed Reception at Release

Critics hail Benjamin Evan Ainsworth’s standout portrayal in an authentic family drama marred by uneven narrative shifts.

Overview

  • Everything’s Going to Be Great opened in theaters on June 20, 2025 and retraces the Smart family’s 1989 pursuit of theater opportunities from Ohio to Kansas.
  • Bryan Cranston stars as patriarch Buddy Smart, Allison Janney plays his wife Macy, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth delivers a standout turn as son Lester.
  • The film holds a 50% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews, illustrating evenly divided opinions.
  • Reviewers praise Ainsworth’s nuanced performance and the film’s heartfelt family dynamics while faulting uneven tone and narrative detours in the third act.
  • Critics commend the authentic depiction of family relationships and regional theater life as the movie’s emotional anchor.