In a culture of dating apps where we swipe left or right depending on the way someone looks, we miss out on connecting with anyone beyond a surface level. An entrepreneur with muscular dystrophy, Danny (Danny Kurtzman), runs a marketing company that is on the brink of bankruptcy. Needing to score a big client, Danny sees an opportunity to sign a major dating app, Ruby, that needs a rebrand.
To get a feel for the brand, Danny downloads the app and creates a dating profile for ‘research purposes.’ Having just come out of a devastating breakup, Danny is nervous about jumping back into the dating scene and decides to hide from his profile any indication that he is physically disabled.
To his surprise, he matches with a beautiful photographer named Madi (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Danny’s roommate and business partner, Jason (Brett Dier), encourages Danny to pursue a date and admit to her ahead of time that he has a disability. Danny reluctantly follows Jason’s advice, and Madi responds positively and still wants to meet.
Danny and Madi hit it off, and she invites Danny and Jason to Palm Springs with her and her girlfriends for a photo shoot she has booked. Over the course of the weekend, Danny’s guard is let down, and his romance with Madi opens up the most emotionally and physically vulnerable place he’s ever been.
“…matches with a beautiful photographer named Madi…decides to hide from his profile any indication that he is physically disabled.”
Good Bad Things beautifully portrays friendship and love. It is emotionally compelling in its message that we all seek to be accepted, seen, loved, and forgiven. Danny Kurtzman, who has muscular dystrophy himself, brings a powerful documentary realism to the film. We’ve gotten films before where an actor plays someone with a disability—think My Left Foot or The Upside.
Although Daniel Day-Lewis and Bryan Cranston deliver great performances in those movies, they can never truly represent the physicality and pain that Kurtzman brings to this film. He may not emote the way those actors can, but he doesn’t need to “act.” He is the character who heightens the film’s beauty and heartache, as does the supporting cast, all of whom give stellar performances.
The film’s one struggle is developing Danny’s character. We know he runs a marketing company and has done well for himself, but we never get to see his skillset or learn much about him other than through his physical difficulties.
Brett Dier, who plays Jason, is a funny and selfless friend who cares for and takes care of Danny. Madi hardly mentions Danny’s disabilities and loves him beyond the superficial, which I suppose tells us everything we need to know about Danny. The characters in the film are simply drawn to him. I just wish they had explored that more and given him more depth.
That said, Good Bad Things brings a unique rawness to the rom-com genre, which is in much need of revival. It succeeds in making you laugh, cry, and, most importantly, believe in true love. To live and love is to hurt, and this film reinforces that it is every bit worth it.
"…brings a unique rawness to the rom-com genre…"
