MOVIE OF THE WEEK December 12, 2025: GOODBYE JUNE
Humor and pathos go hand in hand in Kate Winslet’s moving directorial debut Goodbye June. As the film — written by Winslet’s son, Joe Anders — follows a boisterous British family preparing to say a final goodbye to their beloved wife/mother/grandmother, it reminds viewers that death is an inevitable part of life, something to be planned for and accepted with grace and love, if not necessarily welcomed with open arms.
Helen Mirren stars as the titular June, the mother of four adult children who’s been battling advanced cancer but finds herself out of treatment options just a few weeks before Christmas. Her flock rallies around her, wanting to spend as much time with her as they can before the end comes. In addition to her scruffy, easygoing husband, Bernie (Timothy Spall), there’s successful, ultra-efficient Julia (Winslet), the mother of three and the clear captain of her family’s ship; crunchy stay-at-home mom Molly (Andrea Riseborough); whimsical yoga teacher Helen (Toni Colette); and angsty youngest son Connor (Johnny Flynn), who’s definitely not ready to be without his mum.
As June draws closer and closer to the end, largely at peace with what’s coming but still relishing the small, lovely moments of life, she works to ensure that her children understand the value of their connection to each other. Old hurts and resentments are addressed, fears are acknowledged and discussed, and relationships are rebuilt. And hovering over and around the proceedings is the rapidly approaching holiday, with its twinkling lights and an undercurrent of joy that even spending long days in the hospital can’t quite suppress.
Winslet, unsurprisingly, proves herself an able actor’s director in her first time on the other side of the camera. The cast’s uniformly strong performances combined with Anders’ lived-in script make the characters relatably appealing. None of them are perfect, but they’re all doing the best they can, and all of them want more than anything to please June and keep her comfortable and happy. In doing so, they give her the kind of caring, love-filled send-off any mother would envy. — Betsy Bozdech
Team #MOTW’s comments:
Nell Minow: Kate Winslet shows exceptional sensitivity in casting and directing a superb group of performers in a tender-hearted story of love, loss, and understanding. Facing the death of a parent is one of adulthood’s most devastating passages. “Goodby June” allows its characters to recognize the superficiality of long-held grievances to find the memories, forgiveness, and fundamental relationships that allow them to connect grief and gratitude.
Sherin Nicole Large family events can be a convergence of chaos—memories, old wounds, big feelings, and resentment—all vying for their time in the light. When it’s the death of a loved one, all those things are intensified by love, regret, and acceptance. Goodbye June stands firmly at the crossroads of that chaos, and Winslet, Mirren, Colette, and Riseborough refine the emotional tumult.
Leslie Combemale The family in Goodbye June is one many of us can recognize, and between the nuanced script and the stellar cast, Kate Winslet has a wonderful setup to succeed in her feature directorial debut. Everyone gets their moment to shine and individual character arcs that feel well formed, but the surprise here, especially for American audiences, is Fisayo Akinade as Angeli, the caring, sensitive nurse aiding as a sort of death doula. He shines in every scene. Though this might not be for the holiday faint of heart, but for those who understand loss, especially at Christmastime, it will deeply resonate.
Jennifer Merin Goodbye June is a first feature from Kate Winslet, who also stars along with Helen Mirren, Andrea Riseborough and Toni Collette. Four greats! The film is an intergenerational family drama about love, forgiveness and reconciliation. The story and characters are compelling, the performances are brilliant. Craftwise the film is flawless. We will want to see more from Kate Winslet.
Loren King Kate Winslet makes her directing debut and stars in Goodbye June, from a script by her son Joe Anders. He’s crafted a moving story about a large family forced to cope suddenly with a dying matriarch during the Christmas season. Messy, tender, funny — the film will be relatable for anyone who’s cared for a declining elder or spent time with loved ones in hospital rooms and experienced the gamut of bittersweet emotions that come with facing mortality.
Sandie Angulo Chen: Kate Winslet’s directorial debut, Goodbye June, is a true labor of love made with her 21-year-old son, Joe Anders, who wrote the film’s tender screenplay. Winslet stars as one of four siblings navigating their terminally ill mother’s (Helen Mirren) final days during the Christmas season. The stellar ensemble, including Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, and Timothy Spall, captures the emotional and logistical chaos of gathering at a dying parent’s bedside, where old rivalries resurface and long-held family baggage is finally unpacked. It’s a difficult watch, especially for anyone who has endured a similar loss, but it’s also beautifully executed and hopeful.
Liz Whittemore A raw, unapologetically honest portrait of family, Goodbye June is a stunning debut from Kate Winslet. Her celebrated career on screen has undoubtedly trained her for true success behind the camera. The script expertly captures the inevitable chaos of the unresolved trauma in every family. This exemplary cast hits each beat with fully fleshed out portrayals of beautifully flawed siblings. Goodbye June explores guilt, favoritism, regret, and healing in tangible ways. Audiences will find a deep connection to these characters, particularly fellow Gen Xers caught between caring for their aging parents and raising their own children. It’s a lovely, lived-in viewing experience.
Cate Marquis In her directorial debut, Kate Winslet crafts a warm-hearted drama about a fractious, mismatched British family who are forced to come together when their mother, June, who is suffering from cancer, takes a turn for the worse that lands her back in the hospital. Her prospects for recovery look dim, but the family’s plans to take her home don’t work out. With a fine cast that features Helen Mirren as mom June, Timothy Spall as dad Bernie, Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough and Toni Collette as daughters Julia, Molly, and Helen, and Johnny Flynn as son Connor, plus a helpful nurse named Angel (Fisayo Akinade), the divided siblings and dad-in-denial have to try to put their own issues aside, so they can give June a good goodbye.
FILM DETAILS:
Title: Goodbye June
Director: Kate Winslet
Release Date: December 12, 2025 (select theatres), December 24, 2025 (Netflix)
Running Time: 114 minutes
Language: English
Screenwriters: Joe Anders
Lead Performers: Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Helen Mirren, Johnny Flynn, Timothy Spall, Toni Colette
Distribution Company: Netflix
AWFJ Movie of the Week Panel Members: Sandie Angulo Chen, Betsy Bozdech, Leslie Combemale, Loren King, Cate Marquis, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow, Sherin Nicole, Liz Whittemore
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Edited by Jennifer Merin
