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Good After Bad

Good After Bad

2017

PG-13

Director

Anne-Marie Hess

Runtime

93 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Wes Thorne and Shelly Ackerman — two people living in opposite worlds. Shelly’s mother is off her medication so her home life is in shambles and she’s being bullied at school. Wes is an eccentric, wealthy man who has deep-seated issues with women and no close friends. When Wes offers to be Shelly’s legal guardian, both of their lives take a dramatic turn.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

3.3/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film lacks explicit mention of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities. There is no evidence of queer themes or narratives addressing heteronormativity.

Gender Representation

Fair

Wes Thorne’s issues with women suggest a deconstruction of masculine archetypes. However, Shelly’s domestic struggles may lean toward conventional depictions of female vulnerability.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

The narrative focuses on class distinctions rather than racial or ethnic identity. There is no evidence of intentional racial blending or diverse casting.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The story explores the breakdown of the traditional family unit through mental health struggles. It moves away from idealized Western family structures.

Disability Representation

Good

The depiction of Shelly’s mother being off her medication touches on mental health. The impact depends on whether her condition is treated with agency.

Strengths

  • Challenges traditional family structures by depicting domestic instability and mental health struggles.
  • Offers potential for nuanced gendered conflict through Wes Thorne's complex relationship with women.
  • Explores the intersection of disparate socioeconomic realities and psychological trauma.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer-coded narratives.
  • Provides no evidence of racial or ethnic diversity within the cast or character descriptions.
  • Relies on potentially conventional tropes regarding female vulnerability and domestic struggle.

AI Analysis

Good After Bad is a character-driven drama centered on socioeconomic disparity and psychological realism. The plot focuses on the unconventional guardianship between a wealthy, eccentric man and a marginalized student. While the film challenges the trope of the perfect family, it lacks broad demographic representation. The narrative prioritizes internal psychological conflicts over intersectional identity politics. Ultimately, the film explores systemic instability and class friction rather than active social advocacy.

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