Skip to content
Wherever I Look Logo

Wherever I Look

  • HomeExpand
    • About Wherever I LookExpand
      • Our Writers
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Cookie & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • HTML Sitemap
  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Character Guide
  • Live Performances
  • Videos
Wherever I Look Logo
Wherever I Look

Home - Movies - Good Side of Bad (2025): Review and Summary | A Mundane Take On Mental Illness

Good Side of Bad (2025): Review and Summary | A Mundane Take On Mental Illness

With mixed results, “Good Side of Bad” seeks a less embellished version of experiencing a mental illness or supporting someone that does.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted onJanuary 8, 2025 6:41 PMJanuary 10, 2025 7:31 PM Hours Updated onJanuary 10, 2025 7:31 PM
Title Card, Good Side of Bad

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.


Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.


  • Good Side of Bad Plot Summary
    • Character Descriptions
      • Florence
      • Sara
      • Peter
      • Mary Ellen
      • Dennis
    • Other Noteworthy Information
  • Good Side of Bad Review
    • Audience
    • Highlights
      • Dennis and Florence
    • On The Fence
      • Appreciating How Grounded This Is
  • What To Check Out Next

Good Side of Bad Plot Summary

With Florence jumping off a bridge and claiming she was being chased, it means that it is time for her maternal figure and older sister Sara to get into crisis mode. Peter, Florence’s brother, is called and told to tell their mother, Mary Ellen, what happened, and as a family, they try to navigate Florence going through a serious mental health episode.

Character Descriptions

Florence

Florence entering a medical facility
Florence (Lexi Simonsen),

Florence is a photographer who, after an incident that led her to jump off a bridge, it is questioned whether she is in the right mental state to be on her own.

Sara

Sara watching her sister play in the grass
Sara (Jules Bruff)

Sara is the eldest of the siblings. She raised both her brother and sister because Mary Ellen was more focused on her career and drinking.

Peter

Peter looking at his mother
Peter (Alex Quijano)

Peter is Sara and Florence’s brother who lives out in Los Angeles.

  • The actor is also known for their role in “One Day At A Time: Season 3.”

Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen learning what happened to Florence
Mary Ellen (Tess Harper)

Mary Ellen, when her kids were growing up, was a singer, but now she is a functioning alcoholic with dementia, likely in the last years of her life.

Dennis

Dennis talking to Florence at night
Dennis (Myles Grier)

Dennis is a fellow Delzie Mental Health Facility patient who bonds with Florence during their stay.

Other Noteworthy Information

Film Length1 Hour 35 Minutes
Release DateJanuary 7, 2025
Initially Available On/ViaDigital
Advisory RatingNot Rated
Genre(s)Comedy, Drama, Young Adult
DistributorFreestyle Digital Media
DirectorAlethea Root
WriterCiera Danielle, Jules Bruff, Alethea Root
Based On Work (The Good Side of Bad) ByBeverly Olevin
Character NameActor
FlorenceLexi Simonsen
SaraJules Bruff
PeterAlex Quijano
Mary EllenTess Harper
DennisMyles Grier
  • Movie Contains: Cursing, Self-Harm (Not Depicted But Told), Smoking

Good Side of Bad Review

Our Rating (79/100): Mixed (Divisive)

When it comes to “Good Side of Bad,” the main issue some may encounter is that it has a slice-of-life, voyeur-type style. This may allow it to not seem like it is exploiting or dramatizing what those with mental illnesses or their families go through, but it doesn’t necessarily compensate for avoiding the easy reach. There is something there with Dennis and Florence’s relationship, but it isn’t a core part of the film or even Florence’s journey.

This ultimately leaves you watching everyday people go through something that does disrupt their routine, but like anyone who has dealt with a family member go through a life change; while at first things can seem erratic and jarring, as time goes on, you get used to it. You may still get frustrated when you have your own stuff going on, but with having the tools you need, you get through it, and watching the characters of “Good Side of Bad” do so in such a realistic way may not be a good means to spend 90 minutes for all.

Audience

“Good Side of Bad” is geared towards those who don’t want movies about mental illnesses to be over-the-top and showy. It gives you a sense of what it is like to either experience symptoms or be part of that person’s support team, both when capable of helping and when overwhelmed because you feel like you are losing yourself in service to someone else.

Highlights

Dennis and Florence

When Sara has the means, she has Florence go to an in-patient hospital, and there, Florence meets a man named Dennis, who also has a mental illness. Together, as the two who seek normalcy through each other, they bond and craft a relationship. While complicated due to their mental health journeys, there is something sweet in how they become each other’s rocks and safe spaces while their medication gets calibrated.

I’d even say that, at times, you may wish this relationship had been given a more substantial focus.

On The Fence

Appreciating How Grounded This Is

Peter, Florence and, Sara taking a picture together
Peter (Alex Quijano), Florence (Lexi Simonsen), Sara (Jules Bruff)

There is a push and pull with how “Good Side of Bad” is handled in that, yes, the central focus is a sibling with a mental illness, but it isn’t overdramatized. Florence may see and hear things that aren’t there and have episodes throughout the movie. But, there is no push to go big or get dramatic; just a display of both the frustration of no one seeing what you do and, for Sara, having limited help because Peter lives too far away and Mary Ellen is dealing with her own issues that make her unable to help.

The combination gives you something that doesn’t feel like it wants anything but to provide you with a glimpse of what a select few go through, and in that, you can appreciate how the “Good Side of Bad” appears to want you to be a voyeur rather than be entertained by others suffering. Yet, while you should applaud it for not exploiting people with mental illnesses for entertainment value, there is a need to push that it doesn’t have a strong hook.

Yes, the performances are decent, but I wouldn’t say it is always easy to keep engaged with what is going on. Sara and Peter have a minimal personal life, with only hints of Sara’s life outside of Florence. Heck, even for all that is said of Mary Ellen, you don’t get much of a sense of the woman who delegated raising two kids to their eldest.

Combine that with “Good Side of Bad,” playing things more towards honesty; it reminds you of how mundane life can be. How, even with Florence’s struggles, you can get into a routine where you get riled up only to find yourself calming down like nothing happened.

So, if you’re the type who often seeks escapism or enjoys a more embellished version of what could happen and want that “How do they even deal with that?” factor, “Good Side of Bad” isn’t for you.

Title Card, Good Side of Bad
Click the Title Card To Buy or Rent From Amazon.

What To Check Out Next

Yes, God, Yes – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)

“Yes, God, Yes” is not only probably one of the best coming of age films in a long time, but it also is one of the few teen sex comedies that doesn’t feel like a rehash.

Foe (2023) – Review and Summary

Like many Sci fi dramas, especially those lacking action, “Foe” is dry and even with its twist, passable.

Susie Searches (2023) Review

“Susie Searches” struggles due to letting you in on the secret that the film is about.

Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.


Follow/Subscribe To Our External Pages

  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • Amazon
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X

Sending
User Review
0 (0 votes)

Listed Under Categories: Movies, Mixed (Divisive)

Related Tags: Alethea Root, Alex Quijano, Beverly Olevin, Ciera Danielle, Comedy, Drama, Freestyle Digital Media, Jules Bruff, Lexi Simonsen, Myles Grier, Not Rated, Tess Harper, Young Adult

Amari Allah

Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been writing reviews since 2010, with a focus on dramas and comedies.

Facebook Instagram YouTube

Post navigation

Previous Previous
Top Performances We Saw In The Second Half Of 2024
NextContinue
On Call: Season 1 Episode 1 – Recap and Review | A Potentially Different Kind Of Cop Show

Site Pages

  • Home
  • About Wherever I Look
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie & Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer & Disclosure Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • HTML Sitemap
  • Our Writers
The Wherever I Look logo featuring a film reel, a video game controller, old school TV set, a stage, and more done by artist Dean Nelson.

The overall goal of Wherever I Look is to fill in that space between the average fan and critic and advise you on what’s worth experiencing.

Category Pages

  • Articles
  • Character Guide
  • Collected Quotes
  • Live Peformances
  • Movies
  • Our Latest Reviews
  • TV Series
  • Video Page
Scroll to top

Wherever I Look logo

Welcome to Wherever I Look, your go-to destination for insightful and personable reviews of the latest TV episodes, movies, and live performances. Also, dive into our character guides and discover what’s truly worth your time.

  • Home
    • About Wherever I Look
      • Our Writers
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Cookie & Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • HTML Sitemap
  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Character Guide
  • Live Performances
  • Videos
Search