The Prime Minister is dead, and the circumstances of his death aren’t entirely clear. With this being a bad look for everyone involved, including Mr. Pageant (Joseph Marcell), Rosalind (Sharon Rooney), and Godefroi (Ryan Gage). This motley crew is now tasked with two things: negotiate a free trade deal with a dead man and save their asses. Goodnight Henry tells a hilarious story of death and chaos unlike anything you’ve seen before.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Joseph freakin’ Marcell is in this film. The second I saw him on screen some bit of giddiness filled my body–and that excitement remained throughout the entirety of the film. He’s brilliantly talented, and while most of us know him as Geoffrey the Butler, he possesses a talent that reaches far beyond that one role. Goodnight Henry does see him use what many of us fell in love with back in the 90’s–deadpan comedy, and that works wonders for this film. He carries Goodnight Henry from beginning to end–due in part to his celebrity, but primarily as a result of his incredible talent and ability of conveying impeccable comedy throughout the course of the film.
Dark comedy is showcased throughout Goodnight Henry–and that’s probably obvious of a film listed as a comedy and plays with the idea of death so freely. This decision is perfect, as it creates this beautiful blend of comedy and drama that transcends the entirety of the film. While this comedy may be lost on some, I absolutely love it. I love the fact that they are willing to make fun of death, become a little edgy throughout the course of the film–it adds dimension to the film, and it allows a unique group of viewers to find something to love about Goodnight Henry.
The story itself is unique–something far different than anything that I’ve seen before (and that’s a difficult feat, as originality is becoming more and more difficult as time progresses). Regardless, however, Goodnight Henry finds a new place in the world of cinema. Stylistically, we’ve likely seen things like this before (and that’s okay), and it’s something that viewers appreciate. But the story itself is different, and it travels a unique path–investigating new ideas, but knowing exactly the angle it wants to take throughout. Knowing its own identity is critical–and Goodnight Henry (and each and every person who is a part of this crew) knows just what that identity is. Dark, hilarious, and straight to the point.
My issue, however, is with the length of the film. While the point of the film gets across to viewers, more content would have significantly bettered the film. Don’t misconstrue my thoughts on the length of the film–because it’s still a wonderfully entertaining film, but it needs some more content to bulk up the story and add to the comedy. Goodnight Henry doesn’t need to be a feature-length film–but it should have been at least ten-minutes longer. In just ten minutes I believe that this narrative could have been given a few additional twists and turns, enough to bolster it, making it even better than it already is.
No film is perfect, and the length of Goodnight Henry is a genuine concern of mine. Understand, though, that this in no way, shape, or form ruins this film. I want more of what Writer-Director Isher Sahota has to offer, because I believe it’s a lot. Let’s be honest with ourselves, the casting of Marcell is stellar, and that alone is enough to intrigue viewers. The rest of the cast follows suit with the absurd comedy that exists throughout–and it works wonderfully. Goodnight Henry is well written, and incredibly funny–it’s one of a kind, and truly entertaining.
Written & Directed by Isher Sahota.
Starring Joseph Marcell, Sharon Rooney, & Ryan Gage.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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