By Mark Fields
Zach Braff, best known as one of the lead performers in the long-running sitcom Scrubs, has also directed several feature films in his varied career, the most noteworthy of which is Garden State (2004). Braff’s latest film, both as director and writer is A Good Person, showcasing Florence Pugh as Allison, a young woman struggling to get her life together after a horrible car accident. Allison was behind the wheel, and her distracted driving caused the death of her soon-to-be sister and brother-in-law. As could be expected, the tragedy has sent ripple effects through both families as everyone finds different, not altogether effective methods to cope with the aftermath. Pugh is deeply moving and engaging in this challenging role, the latest of several exceptional performances in recent years. Morgan Freeman as Allison’s would-be father in law also impresses. Once you get past the tidy set-up, Braff’s screenplay sensitively and honestly portrays the consequences of addiction, but it does so in a subdued, humane way. The result is a heartfelt, resonant, and occasionally searing portrayal of a family in pain, stumbling to find comfort through connection.
