Otto Wall (Paul Scheider) has a job, a marriage, and is a loving father to his 9-year-old daughter Eddie. But Otto’s also just a little bit… defective. A careless driving accident acts as a catalyst for his exasperated wife Annie. So Otto is utterly blindsided when Annie files for a divorce. Thunderstruck, Otto stumbles around trying to make sense of his life. It would be easy for Goodbye To All That, the directorial debut of Junebug screenwriter Angus MacLachlan, to get dark and anguished. But Goodbye To All That is gentle and yet surprisingly funny and even sexy.
As the broken – but not defeated – Otto, Paul Schneider turns in his best performance since All The Real Girls. As Otto tries to find his bearings, navigates love, rediscovers sex and negotiates the difficulties of being a good father, he never quite figures it out. But this endearing depiction of his struggle is authentic and touching.
Rodrigo Perez
The Playlist
Please note that the festival is for over 18s only
