A Good Person is a 2023 movie that follows Allison (Florence Pugh), who is engaged to Nathan (Chinaza Uche). She, along with Nathan’s sister Molly (Nichelle Hines) and her husband Jesse (Toby Onwumere), get into a car accident in a construction zone, leaving Molly and Jesse dead and Allison grappling with grief and guilt.

A year later, Allison’s life is in shambles. She’s addicted to Oxycontin and living with her mother (Molly Shannon) after breaking off her engagement. Desperate for help, she attends an AA meeting, where she meets Nathan’s father, Daniel (Morgan Freeman), who is also struggling and raising his orphaned granddaughter, Ryan (Celeste O’Connor). Daniel reaches out to Allison, but their shared tragedy creates more problems.

While the film’s subject matter is tragic, I’m not sure who its target audience is. Films about addiction and cancer can be overwhelming, and this movie doesn’t offer anything new. Recovering addicts and their loved ones may not want to revisit their pain and suffering, and most filmgoers probably wouldn’t want to spend two hours immersed in despair. The intended audience could be teenagers who need to understand the dangers of addiction, but the film’s negative content makes it unsuitable for them.

The movie has its merits, particularly its cast. Morgan Freeman’s performance is sincere and heartfelt, and Florence Pugh delivers a powerful portrayal of a woman trying to heal from her trauma. However, the film’s use of profanity and drug use is excessive and unnecessary, with several characters shown smoking, drinking excessively, and taking drugs. There are also scenes of violence, with a man being threatened with a gun.

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While there is a need for movies that explore the hard realities of life, A Good Person’s negative content detracts from its message. A movie can still be powerful without excessive profanity and on-screen drug use. Unfortunately, due to its content, I cannot recommend A Good Person to audiences.

A Good Person (2023) trailer

A Good Person Parents Guide Summary

Violence: Two women grapple with each other, cracking a pane of glass. The movie screen blacks out immediately before a car accident takes place. There is mention of fatalities in the accident. A woman is seen in a hospital bed with a bandage on her head and bloody scrapes and bruises on her face. A man grabs another man by the throat and pushes him against a wall. A man punches a man in the face. A main character points a handgun at someone. After being insulted, a teenage girl punches an opponent in a sports event. One teenager spits on another. There is an incomplete suicide attempt in the movie: there are no injuries or lasting effects. A person talks about his personal and family history of child abuse, specifically beating and injuring children while intoxicated.
Sexual Content: A woman is seen in high-cut underwear: her fiancé kisses her lower buttock before the two embraces and kiss in bed (with no further explicit activity). A 16-year-old girl is twice seen in bed with a 20-year-old man. There is no explicit activity or nudity but her bra is visible in one scene. There is a brief discussion about contraception.
Profanity:  The script contains over 95 sexual expletives, 19 scatological curses, a dozen terms of deity, a smattering of minor profanities, and a couple of crude anatomical expressions. A demeaning term for women is also used.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Main characters are shown drinking alcohol in social functions and becoming intoxicated. Adults also drink alcohol to numb emotional pain. A character shares his personal and family history of alcoholism, including mention of blackouts and violent behavior. A main character is addicted to oxycontin and engages in drug-seeking behaviors. A woman swallows illicit pills and also crushes and snorts them. She is seen snorting an unidentified drug. There is an attempted suicide attempt which the person aborts before suffering harm. A main character smokes heroin. Adults are briefly seen smoking cigarettes. There’s mention of someone’s dependence on anti-anxiety medication. A character chugs what looks like cough syrup.