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Kate Winslet’s 'Goodbye June' Draws Lukewarm Reviews for Strong Acting, Thin Script

The holiday-set family drama is now streaming on Netflix after a limited theatrical run.

Overview

  • Winslet makes her feature directing debut with a screenplay by her son Joe Anders, informed by his experience of family loss.
  • Hindustan Times awards three stars, The Indian Express gives two, and Newsday finds the film flat despite solid performances.
  • Critics credit Winslet’s instinct for guiding actors and highlight naturalistic work from Helen Mirren, Toni Collette, Andrea Riseborough, Johnny Flynn and Timothy Spall.
  • The film follows a terminally ill matriarch whose hospitalization in the days before Christmas draws her fractured family back together.
  • Reviews frequently cite a familiar, sentimental script, muted visuals and tidy resolutions that lessen the overall impact.