Enduring childbirth already sounds like a pretty intense movie experience to many people. Pain, uncertainty, physical horror, and the feeling of completely losing control are all ingredients that could work surprisingly well in a horror film. In that regard, Goody Goody is not a bad idea at all. In fact, the premise is quite original.
Unfortunately, originality does not automatically equal good creativity.
Goody Goody Has a Unique Horror Concept
Goody Goody is not exactly a film that can easily be placed into an existing box. It is difficult to compare the movie to other horror films, which is a positive thing in itself. There is clearly an attempt to do something different from what we normally see within the genre.
At the same time, this creates a problem. It is surprisingly difficult to determine exactly who Goody Goody is made for. Is it body horror? Psychological horror? A mysterious nightmare? Or are we supposed to view everything as some kind of metaphor?
The film offers very few answers to those questions.
A Horror Film That Takes Too Long to Get Going
It takes quite a while before Goody Goody develops into something more than a film about a disastrous childbirth. That premise can certainly be interesting, but eventually you find yourself waiting for the moment when there is something more going on beneath the surface.
That moment eventually arrives.
The problem is that the film takes too long to get there. On top of that, the tension is not built effectively enough along the way. There are plenty of moments where Goody Goody clearly tries to be mysterious and unsettling, but simply being mysterious does not automatically create suspense.
A horror film can absolutely keep things hidden from the audience. However, there needs to be a sense that the viewer will eventually be rewarded for their patience. Goody Goody only partially manages to achieve that.
Goody Goody Lacks Deeper Themes
Perhaps the film's biggest problem is its lack of clear underlying themes. Because of this, it becomes difficult to determine how literally we are supposed to take certain events.
Is everything we see actually happening within the story? Or is Goody Goody trying to say something about pregnancy, motherhood, fear, or bodily control?
Those interpretations are certainly interesting, but the film provides too little guidance to really do much with them. There is nothing wrong with a horror film leaving room for interpretation, but there still needs to be something for the audience to base that interpretation on.
With Goody Goody, it sometimes feels less like the film is being deliberately ambiguous and more like it simply refuses to provide any information.
The Ending of Goody Goody Raises Even More Questions
The ending does little to solve this problem. Instead of putting some of the puzzle pieces into place, it mainly raises even more questions.
That is not necessarily a bad thing. An ambiguous ending can be extremely effective. However, the film needs to provide enough clues along the way for those different interpretations to become interesting.
With Goody Goody, the unanswered questions instead feel like the result of the film deliberately withholding important information. As a result, the mystery ultimately feels less effective than the filmmakers presumably intended.
The lack of clarity is therefore not necessarily the problem. The problem is that the film does very little to make that lack of clarity meaningful.
Strong Horror Atmosphere and Impressive Visuals
One thing Goody Goody does convincingly is look good.
The film has a strong horror atmosphere and regularly manages to create an uncomfortable feeling. Visually, everything is well put together, and it is clear that a lot of effort has gone into the way the film presents its world and its horror.
That makes it somewhat frustrating that the story and the way it approaches its premise do not always reach the same level.
In fact, Goody Goody sometimes has exactly the right atmosphere for a genuinely effective horror film, while the story does not always know how to take advantage of it. The movie looks like it has something far more exciting and interesting to say than it ultimately does.
Is Goody Goody Worth Watching?
Goody Goody is a difficult film to judge. Its premise is original, and the movie clearly distinguishes itself from many other horror films. It also has plenty to offer visually, while its horror atmosphere is occasionally very strong.
Unfortunately, the story develops too slowly and the tension is not built effectively enough. The lack of deeper themes also makes it difficult to give meaning to many of the film's unanswered questions.
In the end, Goody Goody leaves you with the feeling that it had an interesting idea, but never quite figured out what to do with it.
Rating: 5/10
