Good Grief's Ending: A New Beginning for Marc

The Journey Through Grief

With Good Grief's ending essentially representing a new beginning, the film fittingly concludes Marc's journey through grief with a great dose of hope. First of a multi-project deal between Netflix and Schitt's Creek alum Dan Levy, Good Grief follows Marc (Dan Levy, who also wrote and directed the comedy-drama) as he simultaneously has to deal with losing his husband Oliver (Luke Evans) and discovering the secrets he kept from him. Unwaveringly by his side, his friends Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel) support him even as they go through their own problems, which all come up on their trip to Paris on Oliver's death anniversary.

Dan Levy as Marc in Good Grief

Among the first Netflix shows and movies to drop in January on the streaming platform, Good Grief aptly navigates Marc's messy feelings once he discovers Oliver's secret property in Paris that he seemingly occupied with another romantic partner. Good Grief's ending, partially coinciding with Marc, Sophie, and Thomas' trip to Paris' end, lets them all work through their personal problems and those within their friendship, after Oliver's secrets inevitably come out with Luca's unexpected arrival. Resolving all the conflicting feelings and finding hope in eventually feeling love again, Marc fully faces grief in Good Grief's ending, metabolizing it by painting like he couldn't for years.

Dan Levy as Marc and a picture of Luke Evans as Oliver in Good Grief

Marc's Journey to Margate

The first choice Marc made returning from Paris was to sell the house he shared in London with Oliver. While his financial advisor Imelda suggested he should not run from the memories of Oliver, if that was why he was selling his home, Good Grief's ending highlighted how that wasn't the case. Marc's home with Oliver represented their life together, but the reason that led Marc to sell it wasn't to forget about Oliver but to remember him and process his grief through painting. His move to Margate propelled the creation of his new paintings, which were all informed by his life in London and his life with Oliver.

Ruth Negga as Sophie, Himesh Patel as Thomas, and Dan Levy as Marc in 2024's Good Grief

Despite Theo having only just met Marc, he still pestered him about his art as soon as he learned Marc painted. Painting was clearly a tough subject for Marc since Good Grief's beginning, and Thomas had known Marc long enough to know that his friend did more with his talent besides illustrating children's books. However, Theo's spontaneous connection with Marc unlocked the truth, which weighed on Marc since his mother's death, when he didn't spend much time with her because of how enamored he was with Oliver. Realizing he had done that with his mother and not wanting to do the same after Oliver's death made Marc force himself to start painting, as he knew he could have processed his grief fully by producing art.

Mehdi Baki as Luca, Himesh Patel as Thomas, Ruth Negga as Sophie, and Dan Levy as Marc in Good Grief

Closure and New Beginnings

Among Good Grief's cast of characters, Sophie and Thomas were the ones who doted on Marc the most in his first year without Oliver. They were always there for him and put their problems aside just to help Marc not to wallow in his wish to avoid everything. However, being there for Marc made it easier for them to avoid their problems, and their trip to Paris evidently highlighted both Sophie's fear of commitment to Terrance and Thomas' fear he would have always been someone's boyfriend but never the one for them. In addition, their friendship also always had a weakness, as the trio never named their problems out loud, instead choosing to sweep whatever problem under the carpet.

Dan Levy as Marc, Himesh Patel as Thomas, and Ruth Negga as Sophie in 2024's Good Grief

Meeting Luca was never in Marc's plans, despite knowing it could have happened, as Oliver's Paris apartment was shared only by Oliver and Luca. However, returning from his heart-to-heart with Sophie and Thomas finally gave Marc the strength to face Luca and admit he understood him because he too only wanted to keep being the subject of Oliver's curiosity. As Marc admitted it was easier to feel anger at Oliver because of Luca rather than feel Oliver's loss and its pain, their sincere talk meant Marc moved past his worst impulses, choosing to find common ground with Luca instead of hating him and Oliver just because of their relationship.

Ruth Negga as Sophie, Himesh Patel as Thomas and Dan Levy as Marc in Good Grief

A Journey to Feel and Remember

Good Grief's trailer hinted at Marc possibly finding love again in Paris, but his bond with Theo was even more important than finding a new love interest. While Good Grief left the door open on their relationship with one of Marc's paintings being Theo in front of Monet's Water Lilies, Theo's most important contribution was to Marc's journey through grief. As there was no preexisting conflict with him, unlike Sophie or Thomas, connecting with him and baring his truth to him was easier, and Theo's sincerity pushed Marc to face his grief, find the good in it, and feel it all, even returning to painting to do so.

Ruth Negga as Sophie, Himesh Patel as Thomas, and Dan Levy as Marc in Good Grief-1

Good Grief aptly showed Marc's change for the better, as even with Oliver alive he avoided painting because that forced him to feel his mother's loss. Meeting Theo, coming to terms with Luca, and facing Sophie and Thomas' inconvenient truths all contributed to Marc finally being strong enough to realize that he needed to feel the pain so that he could remember his happy memories with Oliver. Marc's move to Margate in Good Grief's ending was both his journey's end and the start of another one where he could process his grief through painting, coming to the other end with a newfound appreciation for those still in his life.

Mehdi Baki as Luca and Dan Levy as Marc in Good Grief