It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from musician turned filmmaker Robert Schwartzman, the younger brother of Jason Schwartzman and part of the larger Coppola-related film dynasty. Schwartzman began his career as lead vocalist of the rock/pop band Rooney. But circa 2014, he shifted towards writing and directing and directed “Dreamland” (2016), “The Unicorn” (2018), and “The Argument” (2020). His latest film is” The Good Half,” which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023 (and Rooney is still active and still on tour).
The film has quite the cast, starring Nick Jonas, plus David Arquette (“Scream”), Brittany Snow (“Pitch Perfect”), Alexandra Shipp (“Anyone But You”), Matt Walsh (“Veep”), and Elisabeth Shue (“Leaving Las Vegas”).
READ MORE: Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch
The film centers on a young man who returns home to Cleveland for his mother’s funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.
Here’s the more robust synopsis from Tribeca:
Nick Jonas stars as Renn, an emotionally distant writer who returns to his hometown of Cleveland for his beloved mother’s funeral after having spent years successfully avoiding interactions with his high-strung sister (Brittany Snow), bumbling but well-meaning father (Matt Walsh), and untrustworthy step-father (David Arquette). While in town, he forges a new relationship with a charming, energetic stranger (Alexandra Shipp) who pushes him to realize that he can’t avoid conflict forever — with his family or within himself.
Written by Brett Ryland, the film is produced by Russell Wayne Groves, Robert Schwartzman, and Brett Ryland. “The Good Half” is receiving nationwide Fathom Screenings on July 23rd and 25th via Utopia Films with an exclusive virtual conversation with Nick Jonas, Robert Schwartzman, and special guest moderator Kiernan Shipka (“Mad Men”). Watch the first trailer below.
