There's something rare about Good Side of Bad-a film that never announces its importance, but earns it scene by scene. Directed with clear-eyed sensitivity by Althea Root, the film invites us into a fractured family dynamic without judgment, sensationalism, or sentimentality. It simply tells the truth, and in doing so, it hits hard.
At the center is a trio of compelling performances. Tess Harper, a veteran of emotionally weighty roles, brings a weary grace to the role of the family matriarch. Her scenes carry the quiet authority of someone who's endured more than she says aloud. Jules Bruff is equally strong as the sister trying to hold everything together. And then there's Lexi Simonson, whose turn as the youngest sibling in crisis is nothing short of revelatory. In her hands, the character is unpredictable, aching, and alive-reminding us of how rare it is to see mental illness portrayed with such immediacy and nuance. Simonson doesn't play "troubled," she is troubled, and we feel every spike and spiral.
Despite its title, there is little good side here, and this is not film that offers tidy closure. Instead, there is something deeper: the authenticity of experience, told with compassion and care.
This is a film for those who have lived it-or who want to understand.
