Goodbye June Review: When the ailing matriarch of a family takes a turn for the worse, her four children come together to spend time together over the Christmas holidays.
Goodbye June Netflix Cast
Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, Andrea Riseborough, Timothy Spall, Stephen Merchant, Fisayo Akinade
Goodbye June Movie Director
Kate Winslet
Goodbye June 2025 Writer
Joe Anders
The film has a runtime of 114 minutes.
Goodbye June Review
In this deeply emotional family drama taking place over Christmas, the matriarch of a family’s devastating health update leaves her adult children to spend time together, leaning into the grief, love and holiday tension that is a familiar feeling during this time. It furthermore explores complicated sibling dynamics, unresolved resentments and the messy reality of a family facing inevitable loss. It’s a bittersweet contrast, with the cheerful holidays underscoring the stark reality of their lives and leaves us feeling rather heartbroken in more ways than one.
The film is character-driven, and we explore how different people handle grief differently. In her directorial debut, Winslet’s approach towards the topic is restrained, and she keeps emotional honesty in the forefront. The interactions between the characters feel lived-in and genuine, and as a result, they hit home. You can’t help but feel emotionally charged along with the characters, as their experiences feel something right out of our own lives. However, it doesn’t mean that some of these emotional beats will feel rather predictable and repetitive, leaving things to feel rather neat at times.
This is clearly not a crowd-pleasing drama, especially for the holidays and will leave you rather heartbroken by the end. It’s a slow-burning, poignant reflection of love and loss, and the beats surrounding family will make you want to hug your loved ones tighter. The beauty lies in the performances, and the entire ensemble cast is fantastic. The characters are flawed and grounded and feel like real people, thus leaving us to root for them throughout. It makes you feel something rather than going through the motions of the drama film, despite some of the familiar beats.
I think the idea of the family overcoming the obstacles in their lives to give June a wholesome last Christmas will hit a lot of people right in the feels. It’s an important discussion as we oftentimes don’t see the toll that it takes on those left behind, be it thanks to the inevitable loss that no one can stop or pausing whatever conflict you have with others for the sake of the person who will soon leave you.
In the end, I found the film to be moving and meaningful. It’s not for everyone and might feel rather slow sometimes. However, I think it genuinely conveys the heartbreak of loss and the beauty of family, especially during hard times, really works. If you expect a light-hearted, feel-good film, this one will be disappointing, so proceed with caution!
Final Thoughts
I think it’s difficult to say that Goodbye June is an enjoyable watch, in the sense that it’s not particularly cheerful. But it does bring to us something heartbreaking and relatable, as we see love and loss brought to us in the most vulnerable way possible. Despite some melodramatic beats, it’s memorable, and the performances just seal the deal.
What are your thoughts on Goodbye June? Let us know in the comments below!
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